


Louder Than Words

by Hecallsmehischild



Series: Thicker Than Water [3]
Category: Arthurian Mythology, Ghost - Mystery Skulls (Music Video), Mystery Skulls (Band)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-10 09:17:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 25
Words: 44,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5579949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hecallsmehischild/pseuds/Hecallsmehischild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thicker Than Water tale #3. It's no secret Mystery and Callie don't get along, but their enmity is wearing on Arthur's nerves. The Mystery Skulls gang is just trying to get settled in their new location, and the last thing they need is two high level spirits ending up in a face-off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Uncle Lance

**Author's Note:**

> Uploading in bulk completed story tonight.

Callie swirled a hand around in the water glass before her, releasing a deep sigh. "So, now I understand what has happened between the four of you before you found me, that is helpful." She adjusted the hood of her cloak, addressing the sixth person at the diner table. "I would hope that this information is not an alarm to you but given human propensity toward alarm I suppose you are on the verge of running away screaming."

The short, round man raised a bushy eyebrow, snorting. "Girlie don't know me too well, does she kiddo?" He took a swig of coffee from his mug, grimacing.

"Well no Uncle Lance, but even I wasn't sure you'd believe all this…" Arthur ran a hand through his hair. "Sometimes it's hard for me to believe it, and I was there."

Lance shrugged, scratching his beard. "Look Girlie, when you've wrestled two ice cream cones and a toilet demon for the King of Trios championship alongside a frog and a tree, ya come out the other side ready to accept a lot more." He shrugged again. "Just roll with the punches. 'Sides, what am I gonna do, disb'lieve my own eyes? Lewis put his arm through the table, Mystery's sittin' there like a proper Brittish gentleman sippin' tea, and that arm there's see through 'till you put it in your water there and I can't see it _at all_."

Callie retracted her hand from the glass, tucking it back into the waterproof cloak Arthur had found for her. She'd nearly perfected her movement with the garment. For the illusion of standing or walking, she hovered at the perfect height for the cloak to stay in contact with the ground, hiding her lack of humanoid form. For sitting, she hovered slightly lower, allowing the cloak to fold over the seat. Vivi had added stuffing to the inside backing of the cloak so it didn't lie so disturbingly flat when she did this. But she still often reached out, touching objects she didn't understand like parking meters or DVDs or electrical outlets, often with disastrous results.

"So, Kiddo. You need a place to stay 'til you all get back on your feet. Can do, but it'll be cramped. I got one extra room at my place, a couch in the living room, and a back room in the mechanic shop."

"I can take the back room at the shop." Arthur's face lit up. "Can I use the tools and scrap?"

Lance grinned, tugging at his mustache. "Sure kiddo. Use whatever you want. You start work as soon as you make your new prosthetic. You're talented, but I won't get good work outta you with one arm. I can float you a loan if you need dough for special parts."

"Thanks Uncle Lance." Arthur beamed. "If we can get just a few parts, I'll be working by the end of the week for sure!"

"Right. And you," he turned to Vivi. "Heard you need a job too. Guessin' you're no greasemonkey, but Artie said you're fond'a books." He jerked his head toward the window. "Shop down the street, just had their full-time help run off to Hollywood to join a Broadway play, or some crazy plan. Owner's real particular with who gets to work there, show 'em you know your books and you might just get the gig."

"That sounds fantastic!" Vivi stifled a cheer. "Oh gosh, I can't wait to get started, I just know I'll get the job, what's the place called?"

"Tome Tomb bookshop. Just tell 'em Lance sent ya." He paused. "Better not, just say you came to town lookin' for a quiet place with a quiet job. Guessin' if Artie's got the workshop you're gettin' the room."

"Her and Lewis, yeah, they can have the room." Arthur sipped his water. Lewis had barely left Vivi's side since she'd returned to herself, and only if he was assured she was in the company of one other person in the group.

"And you?" Lance leaned back, glancing at Mystery.

"I'll stay with Arthur in the workshop." He set his tea down. "You needn't mind about the space. A dog doesn't take up much room. I'll be mindful who's around if I need to become human to speak, and I would dearly hope I don't need to resume my larger form anytime soon. It would be good for all of us if we didn't have to adventure for a bit."

"I always got a weird feeling about you." Lance shook his head. "Bro thought I was crazy."

"I know." Mystery rolled his eyes. "You were always rather perceptive in comparison to your brother. But he continued his line, and you chose not to."

Lance shook his head. "This whole King Arthur biz, kiddo…"

Arthur shrugged helplessly. "I know… I know."

"Well that leaves miss, ah… Callie?"

"I stay with Arthur." Her voice was soft. "My anchor is his, and I am at his command."

An awkward silence settled over the table. Vivi broke it, turning to Callie. "Hey Callie, I bet when I get the job at the bookstore you can visit me. When I get the job, I wanna see you in the bookstore, okay?"

"Whatever for?" Callie asked.

"Cause you got a lotta catching up to do, and we'll have books on just about everything! And if we don't have 'em, I'll make sure they're on order."

"The paper will get wet." Callie pointed out.

"Don't worry, I'll figure out a work-around." Vivi beamed. "Sounds like we've got a working plan. Maybe we can find a place in a couple of months, sooner if we get a couple paying ghost-busts."

"If Callie visits the bookstore, I can search the area, see who's haunting." Lewis offered.

"Sounds like you kids got a plan." Lance stretched. "Lewis, sorry you died. Seemed like a nice enough kid from Artie's letters. Nice to get to meet ya finally. Vivi, I'll take ya over to the house to get settled, but then I gotta get back to work. I'll show ya over to Tome Tombs tomorrow. Callie, good to meetcha. Don't touch any electrical bits at the shop. So don't touch most of the stuff you see. Mystery, sorry for the times I pulled your tail."

"About time." Mystery muttered.

"Artie, get yerself back in the shop. You've got a prosthetic to make."


	2. Defense

"Callie please!" Arthur groaned, "I've just been at the shop all day, cut me some slack."

"Up." She insisted. "You are cutting into my teaching time, and the dog will be back for his turn and he won't CARE if you've cut into my teaching time. If you have Excalibur, you have to learn to use it to defend yourself."

Hauling himself to his feet, Arthur sighed, picking up Excalibur from the corner. Callie positioned herself behind him, winding her arms around his, and repositioning his grip.

"Not that I don't appreciate all this Callie, but when are you gonna teach me how to attack? We've been here two months, and I'm still on defense with you."

"Attack won't be necessary. Just hold them off long enough and I'm sure your loyal guardian will maul your assailant to death." She muttered.

Arthur set the point of the sword against the ground and pinched the bridge of his nose. He could already feel a headache coming on. "Callie, it's getting old. It was old by day three. How long are you gonna be ragging on Mystery?"

"Until he's gone." She returned, releasing Arthur's arms. "Which I understand won't be happening. I'll co-exist in the same space with him, but not happily. Do not expect it of me."

Arthur set the sword back against the wall. "Lesson's cancelled today. I'm too tired to deal with either of you." He flopped back onto the mattress. "How's Vivi doing?"

"She has a great aptitude for magic." Callie drifted over to the sword and rested on top of it, draping herself over the hilt. "The books she inherited are worth their weight in gold. It's good she keeps them locked away."

Arthur nodded. The sole reason Vivi still kept the necklace that had cursed her line was because it doubled as the key to the cabinet that housed the ancient books. The cabinet couldn't be opened or closed without it, and fire-tests by Lewis suggested it was protected from tampering by several spells.

"What's she learning lately?"

"Shielding, neutralizing a curse, and solidifying her will against possession."

Arthur's head dropped back in exasperation. "All defensive maneuvers Callie. In the situations we've been in the last two months it would have been REALLY useful to be able to attack, why won't you teach those things?"

"You could have prevented quite a bit with just as many defensive measures." Callie's eyes narrowed. "Besides, the demon dog is more than happy to teach any form of destructive spell and offensive swordplay you please."

Arthur's eye twitched. "I don't believe you… You really think he's… fine, you know what, when he comes, you hide in the sword or whatever. You can be late to your lesson with Vivi, I'm getting so sick of this."

Frowning, Callie collected herself in the little blue gem set in the hilt, out of sight. With a groan, Arthur peeled out of his grease-spattered clothes and changed into clean, loose-fitting clothing. It had been an extra-grueling day at the shop, and he hadn't even gotten a chance to eat yet. He lay back on the mattress, his eyes dropping closed. He'd just rest a couple minutes until Mystery-

The smell of bacon snapped his eyes wide open. Mystery held a couple of slices under his nose, grinning. "I have to admit doing this is somewhat satisfying. Good boy." He dropped the bacon, snickering as Arthur grabbed it, shoving it in his mouth.

"Jerk." Arthur muttered. "You just get here?"

"Yes. Vivi's doing very well on her lessons."  
"Oh yeah?" Arthur stood slowly. "What lessons are those?"

"Same as last time. Solidifying her will against possession. Neutralizing a curse. Basic shielding, that sort of thing."

"Mystery, she's gonna need to learn attack spells at some point."

"No she won't." Mystery chuckled. "You'll both be fine with basic defense. Now bring that sword up, I want to see if your blocking has improved."

"Callie get out here." Arthur growled.

Callie slowly swirled out of the hilt. Mystery bristled, his jaw clenching. "I thought you had left for your lesson with Vivi."

"I was asked to remain. I sense we are about to be lectured."

"Lectured isn't even the half of it!" Arthur threw out his hands. "Guys! What's your problem? Do you realize the only thing you two actually agree on is the one thing that's doing Vivi and me no good at all? We can't be on defense all our lives, what if something happens and neither of you is around?"

"That won't happen." They spoke simultaneously, their eyes meeting briefly.

"I'm not interested in taking that chance!" He plopped down on the mattress, pulling the covers up over his head. "Lesson's off for tonight. I'm not agreeing to learn anymore until I get an offensive lesson in there somewhere."

Mystery sighed heavily. "Sleep if you must then, you look too tired to take a lesson anyway. Before you drop off just know Lewis found a job for us tomorrow."

Arthur pulled down the covers slightly. "A ghost bust?" He asked, uncertainly.

"A very lucrative bust. Should allow us to find slightly more spacious quarters."

Arthur sighed, pulling the blankets back in place. "I really hope this one's better than my last two ghost encounters…"


	3. The Big Bust

"You guys ready for this?" Vivi bounced on her toes, grinning from ear to ear. "This is gonna be so great, I haven't been on a ghost bust with all my boys for a whole YEAR."

"I'm a little nervous about the price they named, Lewis." Arthur muttered, tucking a stray sensor into his knapsack. "I mean, it's great, and it's really gonna help, and if we get this done right it'll start getting us more ghost-work, but that's a pretty high figure. And a missing kid's a _major issue_."

"Arthur you're being a wet cactus noodle again. The family called us as a last resort, they're desperate, hence the figure. What are we gonna do, turn them down? Like you said, their kid's missing. Besides, we have to break Callie in." At Callie's quizzical glance, Vivi amended, "I mean, get her used to what we do."

"From what I gather what you do is lay restless spirits to rest when they become a bother in the human world." She stared pointedly at Lewis. "With exceptions."

"Yep!" Vivi chose to ignore Callie's last remark. "We've been pretty successful too overall. Just, eh, not so good with demons and angry ancestors." She gave a half-hearted shrug. "If we run into any of those, it'll be good to have you and Mystery to help."

Callie said nothing, and Mystery didn't look at her, leaning on his cane.

"Just try, can you two just try?" Arthur asked, exasperated.

Again, nothing.

Lewis grabbed the single bag of equipment they'd managed to pull together from the tech left in the van or purchase from various secondhand sources. "We're light on the gear guys, so be careful. After this we'll be able to get some of the better stuff to replace, what… um... what burned…" He hefted the bag as he followed Vivi out the door. As he passed her, he whispered, "You glow right before you get started on a bust, did you know that?"

She blushed, grabbing the bag and muttering, "I don't know what you're talking about, gimme that."

Arthur followed, Excalibur strapped to a special scabbard at his waist he'd constructed for it. Callie's suggestions had proven useful, and now every time he pulled the sword out or put it away, it was sharpened by the motion. Vivi swung around to the front of the van and started up the engine, following directions as Lewis called them out. Arthur pulled up the email on his phone, scanning it over. "So it's pretty bad right now. It started out with lullabies all over the house, mysterious charms appearing carved into the baby's room, and finding the baby who isn't old enough to crawl yet at the edge of the river out back about three times now. Then a couple nights back the baby just disappeared. They checked the river, but nothing. Called the police, no trace." He scrolled down. "They've left the key under the mat, the family's staying at a hotel for now. Callie, Mystery, these symbols from the nursery mean anything to you?" He held his phone up between them.

Callie's face appeared suddenly drawn and tired. "Did you say they found the infant by a river?" At Arthur's nod, she sighed. "Fairies."

Arthur blinked. "They're being haunted by fairies."

"No. Haunted by a victim of fairies." She reached a hand toward the screen, but Arthur pulled the phone back. She paused. "This is like the computer, and is easily breakable?" Arthur nodded. She gestured at the symbols. "Those are all charms to ward off evil, but specifically the fae folk. Did they mention salt on the floor?"

"Yeah, all over the nursery floor."

Callie slumped down, draping over her seat. "I hate fairies." She said vehemently. "Your ghost is probably a mother. Convincing her to move on will be difficult."

"If she's a mother, why is the family's baby always by the creek, Callie?" Vivi asked, tension in her voice.

Callie shut her eyes. "I don't want…" She rippled with little shudders.

"Changeling children." Mystery cut in, "Are either given to barren mothers who beg or are placed in the cradle while the real child is stolen for fairy purposes. It was often believed that if the changeling was thrown into a river or a lake, its people would save it and return the stolen child." His own face was stony. "Whether the child was changeling or not, the method never worked."

"But the rumor spread all through the human world in spite of its failure to work." Callie seethed at him.

"And you are going to blame me for misfortune brought to the entire human world? Yes, Callie, I am powerful enough to be all over the world and spreading that misinformation was my sole purpose in life." Mystery growled.

"Knock it off you two, we're almost there." Arthur glanced at Callie strangely, but tucked the phone away as Vivi pulled the van to a stop. The town wasn't that big, and the house had been built at the edge near a flowing creek.

"So you think the ghost has their baby?" Arthur asked, pulling the door open.

"Likely."

"Do you think she's drowned the…" He froze, glancing at Callie.

She hovered past him. "I suppose we're going to find out, aren't we?" She asked bitterly.

Vivi and Arthur geared up in the van as Lewis approached the door, grabbing the key from under the mat and turning back as the rest of the gang spilled out. He tossed the key to Vivi. "I'll clear the first room." He phased through the door.

"Lewis! Urgh you spoon hatter, we're not supposed to split up if we can help it." Fuming, Vivi fumbled with the keys, getting the door open.

"Hey flame-brain!" Arthur called. Lewis turned just in time to get a notebook thrown at his skull. "Watch out."

"Thanks a lot!" Lewis muttered.

"Don't go ahead!" Vivi scolded. "We're gonna try and stay together."

"You do that." Callie turned away. "I will join you shortly. I have business at the river."

Arthur hesitated, and Vivi faced her. "Callie-"

"Vivi, I appreciate that you are the leader here, but I have business at the river. I will not be long." She began to drift off.

Arthur put a hand on the hilt of the sword. "Callie."

Immediately Callie stopped. "Arthur, please allow me to go to the river."

"What business do you have there?"

"I will find out for sure if the child was drowned." She answered tonelessly. "Human eyes may miss, but I will _know_."

Arthur hesitated, then nodded his head. "Go, but take Mystery."

"What?" Mystery protested. "She can more than handle herself!"

"I'm sure she can. Go anyway. Callie don't leave him behind."

She rippled in disgust, but didn't argue.

"Arthur, why are you insisting on this?" Mystery lowered his voice, whispering to Arthur. "What is the point? You need protecting, she doesn't."

"I've got Lewis and Vivi to watch my back and right now I need you two to learn to get along, and if you won't get along in day-to-day life then your homework is working together on this bust, got it?" Arthur glared at him.

Mystery glared back at him. "It won't work you know." He huffed, turning to limp after Callie.

"Maybe." Arthur sighed, turning back to the room. Vivi already was setting up a base of operations in the living room, while Lewis peered up the stairs. "But I don't have any other ideas."

…...

"You seem to be very familiar with fairy work." Mystery remarked, seating himself on a stone at the edge of the river. "I don't suppose you've seen it first-hand."

"That is none of your business demon dog." Her voice was tight as she scanned the surface of the river, tracing along the top but never touching the water.

"Really? Not my business. Anyone near Arthur immediately becomes my business, and you're nothing like any water spirit I've ever seen."

"Arthur is in no danger from _me_ , kitsune." She fired back. "You, however, have a history longer than a tributary. I find it hard to believe that's all in the past."

Mystery's eyes narrowed. "Keep talking to me about history, Excalibur. Everything about you got harder when we spoke of changelings and fairies. I'd wager a hoard you had children drowned in your lake."

In a flash, Callie was inches from Mystery's face, eyes burning. "Let me tell you something, DOG. I spent decades in King Arthur's service. There isn't a water spirit in existence that would allow the child to actually drown, it's why the few times a human mother saw the child spirited away, they thought they had rid themselves of a changeling child. Because we took them away for safety! But where was I, lapdog? WHERE WAS I?"

Mystery held himself very still, forcing himself to keep eye contact. "Locked to a sword. And when you got back, there were tiny bones all over the floor of your lake, weren't there?"

Callie rippled all over her body and turned away from Mystery. She came down to the riverbank, reaching out a hand. It hesitated over the surface. Then she placed it against the surface.

Ice spread out from under her hand, thick and fast, webbing across the surface and blocking her entry with an angry crackling.

Mystery leaped to his feet, staring at the ice. "What does that mean?" He demanded.

Callie stared at the surface, a lost and wounded expression on her face.

"Excalibur!"

Her face closed up again, and she turned back to him, hovering over. "It means the child has not drowned, and cannot be drowned in this river."

"How do you know?"

"There is a water spirit in that river." Callie glided past him. "As I said. It would never have let the child drown."

Mystery glanced back at the ice, already melted away as if it had never been there. "Why did it block you?"

"Why do you ask all these questions? We have a missing child to find and you are digging into matters that do not concern you or Arthur's safety."

Mystery's ears pricked, and his head swiveled, his nostrils flaring as he scented the air. "Callie."

"What?" She glanced back.

"There's a lullaby in the air. And I smell tears." He breathed in deeply through his nose. "Very old tears, and fresh ones."

"Lead!" She fairly flew at him.

"No need to… the scents are coming this way, and quickly."


	4. Eternal Mother

Lewis eased into the nursery, scanning every corner for potential enemies. A crib was pushed up against the wall, a changing table nearby, and a rocking chair in the center of the room. The Deadbeats dispersed, lighting up dark corners and investigating the closets and cupboards. They circled the room three times before settling in the corners. One perched in the windowsill, keeping watch outside. Vivi entered behind him, a ghost-capsule in one hand and Arthur's ecto-detecto in the other.

"Lewis, you're messing up my readings." She complained, and he rolled his eyes.

"Nothing I can do about it."

"You could check another part of the house."

"Not a chance." He drifted over, kissing the top of her head. "If it's the three of us we're staying together."

"Gotta side with Lew this time." Arthur crouched at the doorway, rubbing his fingers across the floor and lifting his hand to inspect the white crystals on his fingertips. "Splitting up's done a lot of damage in the past. I suggest a group rule that if we have to split up, either each group gets one of the big powerful spirit guardians or, like tonight, I send them off to try and work together and the three of us don't even sneeze without the group knowing about it."

"They really giving you a hard time Squire?" Vivi peered at the runes on the wall, pulling out her phone to snap more photos."

"I'm going to hit the end of my rope sooner or later, probably sooner. I have to figure something out."

"You will." Lewis assured him. "Maybe when we're moved in together, the three of us can put our heads together and figure out how to help. Maybe…" He grinned. "Maybe you should take Callie out on a date."

Arthur spluttered, gawping at him. "Are you out of your skull Lew?"

Vivi lit up. "Oh no, it's perfect Arthur! Not dating like dating-dating, but like getting-to-know-you dating. Oh stop turning red silly. Of course you're not going to give her a kiss or anything, just get to know her. I mean, have you spent much time with her aside from lessons?"

Arthur scrubbed his face furiously. "I swear, Lew, if you don't wipe that grin off your face in two seconds… No, Vivi, I can't say that I have. And you're right. But for the love of everything invisible DON'T call it a date ever again."

"You do that. Maybe I'll take Mystery on the same kinda date." Vivi fished around for an alternate detector, as Lewis lost his grin to a look of dismay. Arthur smirked, fishing around for something witty to say when he glanced at the rocking chair.

"Um… Lew… did you bump the rocking chair?"

"No, why?" Lewis turned, and froze. The chair swayed slightly, and the faintest outline of a seated figure flickered there.

Vivi watched the chair for a moment, then her eyes flicked to the boys and she held up a hand, then pointed to herself. Lewis dipped his head cautiously, watching her, and Arthur clicked on their recorder, one hand on his sword.

"Mama?" Vivi said quietly, and the figure became clearer. "Mama, where are you?"

Lewis' eyes narrowed slightly. Vivi was shrewd, trying to draw on the ghost's maternal nature by playing up childishness.

"You are not my child." The voice was old and tired. "I have my child. Finally, I have the child I deserve."

Vivi took a step closer to the rocking chair and sat down by it, drawing her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms around them, staring up at the figure like a little girl with wide eyes. "What child Mama? I don't see it."

"And you will not." The figure lifted a head of gray hair, eyes a murky blue and face lined by the years. "You do not fool me, I am no imbecile. I know why you are here. You are here to take my child."

Vivi dropped the act, releasing her knees and adjusting her glasses. "What's your name?" She asked.

"Not your concern. Leave."

"We can't." Arthur leaned against the doorway. "That child isn't yours ma'am. And it's probably hungry. We're sure you mean well by it, but you can't take care of it."

"You do not even know her name and you are telling me how to care for her?"

"And you left her by the river." Vivi leveled a hard stare at the ghost. "Why was she by the river?"

For a moment, the outlines of the ghost faded, and she made a strangled sound of grief. "I… she…"

At that moment, there was a faint cry from under the floorboards. In the next, everyone moved. Arthur unsheathed Excalibur, raising it high to chop at the wooden flooring. Vivi opened the ghost capsule, aiming it at the figure in the rocking chair. Lewis and the ghost both dived for the floor at the same time, vanishing in a roil of purple as the ghost capsule filled with one ghost.

"Do you have the baby Lew?" She asked, calling into the floor.

"Vivi!" Lewis' voice came from the capsule. She gasped, yanking the cover off to release Lewis.

Arthur hacked a small opening in the floorboards and peered through. He got a glimpse of a wriggling bundle grasped in translucent arms before both vanished completely. He leaped up. "Lew, you never told us you ghosts could phase people through things!"

"I didn't know I could! Cut me a break Arthur, I'm a year-old ghost! And most of the ghosts we've busted probably weren't as old as her!"

The Deadbeat by the window shrieked, pointing through the glass. The three of them crowded to the window, and Vivi gasped.

"She's headed for the river!"

….

Callie watched as the ghost fled the house, racing down to the river's edge and pulling up short. She clutched a bundle to herself, staring down at the water. Slowly, she stretched out her arms over the river, the baby extended at arm's length.

For a moment, Mystery and Callie exchanged glances. Then Mystery shrank down, reforming into a small dog as Callie turned to the woman and reached for the word that would turn her, the one she already knew the woman longed to claim as her own identity more than anything else in the world, beyond the grip of death.

"Mother."

The bundle dangled, crying over the flowing waters, but the single word arrested the ghostly woman mid-motion, and she stared up into the solemn face of the water spirit.

"You're here to take my daughter." She clutched the bundle to her chest. "You're here to take her from me!"

"Mother," Callie spoke softly, "Look at what you do."

The ghost's eyes widened, and she stepped back from Callie as if scalded. "I… I…"

"May I see the babe?" Callie drifted closer. "I will not take her. I want to see your daughter's face. She must be beautiful."

The woman's fingers tightened on the cloth. "She… I…." She looked to the river.

"Mother, why?" Callie asked softly.

The woman turned back to her, eyes wide and pleading.

"Why did you bring their child here again and again?" Callie reached out a hand, touching the woman's elbow tenderly.

The ghost muffled a sob in the cloth, pressing her lips to the little girl's forehead.

"You don't know if she's real, do you?" Callie murmured, stroking the woman's arm. "You are afraid you've been cheated again."

The woman sank to her knees, rocking back and forth. "They… the fairies… promised… me…"

"I know." Callie stroked the woman's hair back from her face. "I know they promised you. But this is not the child they gave you, is it?" The woman shook her head. "Mother, may I see the child they gave you?"

The woman looked up, anguished. "Will you take this one away from me?"

Callie stroked her face gently. "Would you really have another woman's daughter drowned, Mother?"

Bowing her head, the woman held out the stolen infant, arms trembling. Mystery padded up softly, grabbing a mouthful of cloth and backing away with the crying baby. He took her a safe distance away, before lying down and licking her face gently as Callie returned her attention to the ghost.

"Show me the child they gave you, Mother."

Slowly, the ghost rose and crossed effortlessly over the top of the river, hovering up the trunk of a tree into one of its branches where she plucked another bundle. She returned to Callie, head bowed low, and turned the child to face the water spirit.

The baby smiled, burbling happily as he waved chubby arms and laughed.

"How long?" Callie asked.

"I have lost count of the years." The woman was unable to lift her head. "I could not bear my own. I begged them… I begged for hours on my knees as they just danced and laughed at me… finally they gave me a son, but… he never…" She lifted her face, choking out the words. "He never aged. He never…" She drew him back into her arms, rocking. The baby just laughed, tangling his fingers in her hair.

"You knew. But you couldn't bring yourself to drown him to see if he was real."

"I tried… I almost did, so many times… but I couldn't. I even knew, and yet I could not." Her fingers shook as she stroked the baby's face.

"Mother, you have borne your grief bravely. Will you let me show you the truth?" Callie stretched out her hands.

The woman clutched at the child. "Will it hurt?" She demanded.

"The child cannot be hurt, Mother. I will show you."

The woman's arms uncurled, and she opened them reluctantly. Callie took the child, setting it down on the grass. It giggled, kicking tiny feet as she set her hands over its body and began to stroke it. Water ran all along its torso, limbs, fingers, face, and for a moment, its mouth opened in a frightened cry. And then it vanished, and there in the grass lay nothing more than a withered tree branch.

"Where is he?" The ghost cried, snatching up the branch. "What have you done?"

"Revealed the truth. I am sorry. The child never was. The fairies lied on every count. This is what you held all this time."

Callie could hear Arthur, Vivi, and Lewis closing in, shouting for the ghost to stop. The woman was weaving on her feet, lost and confused. Mystery took the infant in his jaws again and trotted toward the group, stalling them as they recovered the baby.

"Look." Gingerly, Callie turned her toward the group. "Look, you did not do what many others have. The child lives. And my dear, no matter what lie they gave you, you were true." Callie smoothed the woman's hair gently. "You were every moment a mother, in spite of them. Now it is time to rest."

The Mother bowed her head, cradling the wooden branch tenderly, and released a long-held sigh, her form dissipating on the breeze until the branch tumbled to the ground.

"I caught the last part of that." Callie turned, coming face to face with Arthur. "You're pretty good at talking someone out of something drastic it seems." When Callie said nothing, he tried again, "Thanks Callie. You did a really good thing here. Nobody got hurt, including the ghost, and she's at rest."

Callie nodded, and began drifting back toward the group. Arthur threw up his hands in defeat, following. Lewis had taken the baby and was walking back toward the house, making silly faces at her while Vivi called the family on her cell. Realizing he was missing Mystery, Arthur glanced back to the river.

Mystery stood on the bank, staring down at the water curiously. He reached a paw down, and just before he could touch the water, it froze hard and solid under his paw, rebuffing him.

"Hey, you never told me you could make ice." Arthur raised his brows, impressed. "More spells and stuff coming back to you, buddy?"

Mystery didn't answer, staring hard down at the water, before turning to gather his recently shed clothes in his mouth and trotting after the group.

 _That settles it,_ Arthur decided. _I'm going on a date with Callie, Vivi's going on a date with Mystery and we're getting some answers before I go insane._


	5. There's A Limit

"I don't really understand why this is necessary Vivi." Mystery peered into the kitchen, perplexed. "Arthur said he wouldn't be back until very late, and Callie and Lewis do not eat, why the feast?"

"Who ever said it was 'necessary'?" She grinned cheekily, checking the chicken. "Thought we could get to know each other a little more. And I know you love my cooking, said as much yourself over Christmas. You and Arthur have had plenty of time to talk but I," She pulled the pan out of the oven, setting on the stove as the scent of rosemary and garlic wafted past Mystery's nose. "I've only known you could talk for a couple of months, and that time was either spent in a locket or being taught defense spells. We haven't really gotten to talk-talk, y'know?" She waved him over to the counter. "Sorry for the paper plates, we still need to get stuff to make this place home."

Mystery slowly took a seat on a precarious stool, nudging a stack of boxes aside and settling his cane against the base of the counter. "It's a serviceable enough building at least." A smile tugged the corner of his mouth. "I can't say no to your cooking."

"Yeah I know. Nobody can." She grinned, dumping several helpings of chicken on his plate. They'd unloaded the last of their things into the two bedroom renter that afternoon. What Vivi and Arthur had scraped together in addition to the substantial gratitude of the family that had hired them had finally allowed them to rent a small house.

"Thanks for taking care of my boys by the way." She pulled up a stool across from Mystery. "Guess I never really said that yet. And," She raised a hand, cutting him off, "I don't wanna hear how you didn't do anything cause you were chained up. If it wasn't for you they wouldn't have had a chance at all. As it was, you got Arthur to his only shot."

Mystery sighed, stabbing his chicken irritably. "I wish it hadn't been his only shot. I wish I could have handled it myself."

Vivi inspected him across the counter. "Mystery, what's your deal with Callie? You gotta know it's driving Arthur up the wall."

"I know." Mystery mumbled, chewing a forkful of food. For a second he closed his eyes, allowing a warm smile. "Much better even than it smelled." Then he opened his eyes, returning to the topic at hand. "I'm sure whatever I tell you will go straight to Arthur, but I don't care. I don't trust her, Vivi."

"What makes you think Arthur's gonna know?" Vivi coughed.

In answer, Mystery pointed up at the light fixture where a single Deadbeat peeked out, monitoring the conversation. "This is obviously a bit of an intervention."

"Guilty." Vivi admitted. "So why don't you trust her? I mean, all we get out of you is that she's a water spirit which I guess means she's automatically some kind of good pure spirit and that you're a dark spirit, not that you act it. What gives? If she's a good spirit, why wouldn't you trust her?"

He swallowed another large bite of chicken to buy himself a moment or two, before replying simply, "Then why didn't she heal King Arthur?"

Vivi paused, squinting. "What?"

"Why didn't she heal King Arthur, Vivi?" Mystery was staring intently at her. "When I got to him Mordred-no, Morgause. Mordred was long gone-Morgause had dealt the King a fatal blow and was hanging dead on the end of his sword. I saw him pull the sword free and collapse. I heard him beg the sword to do something, and I just thought he was mad. But he kept pleading with it, and when nothing happened, he threw it aside and ordered Griflet to throw it in a lake. He was coherent enough to give directions to the lake, even that I never understood. Why did it have to go to a specific lake? Now I know, but Vivi… I never once saw her."

His eyes bored into her. "That is another thing I don't understand. The King had Excalibur long before I came to be with him. How did I not sense her? How did I not see there was a spirit in that sword? He talked about the sword all the time, sometimes _to_ it as if it could hear him. But I never saw her… how?"

Before Vivi could answer, he started again. "And that's another thing Vivi, when Morgause was in you and Ghouls were following us, I didn't see them until they were right on top of us. Sometimes I didn't see them until someone else pointed them out to me. Why is that? Arthur had leftover demon residue in him, driving him _mad_ for _an entire year_ and I didn't see it? WHY?" His voice rose, his hand coming down on the table hard.

"Mystery!" Vivi's voice was sharp. "Calm down. Take a deep breath. NOW."

Mystery leaned back, doing as instructed.

"Now listen. I don't know why you're not seeing what you're supposed to. I take it you're supposed to see this stuff?" At his stiff nod, she continued. "I don't know why, but that doesn't have to do with Callie. Do you think she's blinding you or something?"

Slowly he shook his head. "It was happening before she joined the group."

"Okay, so that's separate. But I'll talk to Arthur and do some research, maybe we can figure out why you can't see this stuff. Heck, if you'd let us ask Callie…?" He shook his head hard. "Okay fine. Fine. Do you know why Callie didn't heal King Arthur?" He shook his head again. "And you're mad about that." Another nod. "Is that all?"

He glanced down.

"Mystery?"

"I don't…" He glared at the plate of chicken. "I don't like… she rubs it in my face, Vivi."

"Rubs what in your face?"

"While Arthur is sleeping, and anytime she sees me and he isn't around. She shoves my past in my face." He growled low in his throat. "Gods, as if I haven't spent the last few centuries paying for it, making up for it, trying to fix it, knowing I could never fix the things I set in motion for the King, but trying to make it better for his descendants. And then she has to take everything I used to be, everything I used to do and just _cram it down my throat. I won't have it, Vivi!"_

He stood to his feet, the stool clattering over. His eyes burned and she could swear his teeth were sharper than a second ago.

"Mystery!" Vivi stood too, but Mystery wasn't listening.

"No! Do you know what makes it worse? The worst thing is she's right. _She's right._ You don't know, and if you knew, you wouldn't be doing this." He shoved the plate at her. "You wouldn't be making this for me, you wouldn't accept me into this group, you wouldn't be praising me. Do you understand? You don't KNOW me!"

"Mystery! SIT DOWN!" Vivi shouted. "NOW."

Blinking, Mystery sat, promptly tumbling to the ground as the stool was no longer there. Vivi darted around the counter, crouching down by Mystery. She helped him up to a sitting position. She grabbed his face and pulled it around. "Now you listen to me. Monster, right? Hideous, terrible, monstrous demon dog who destroyed King Arthur's realm, right? That's what you are?"

His eyes widened slightly, and she watched the fight go out of him. That was what he was expecting.

"Wrong. That's what you WERE, Mystery. If I saw all that, would I be sick? Yeah, probably would. No, I don't know if I'd be able to talk to you right now if I saw it for myself. But here's the thing, I didn't. Why didn't I, Mystery?"

"You weren't born." He muttered.

"Wrong answer. The right answer is, that Mystery is gone. He's been gone for a really long time. It's the Mystery I know now that counts, you got me?" She glared at him. "Cause I really am getting tired of reminding all of you about stuff that should be obvious."

His face crumpled, and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Man Mystery… I had no idea she was getting to you this bad." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I'm sorry."

"You're so much like Arthur sometimes." He said quietly. "He said as much to me too. It's difficult to believe sometimes. I need… reminders."

"What? Big ol' powerful spirit like you needs us to remind you, what's that?" She joked, squeezing tightly.

Mystery's lips curled up slightly and he reached up, putting a hand on Vivi's arms-still wound tightly around him-and rested it there. "I may not have been there to guard your line, but I'm glad I have the chance now. I've grown rather fond of you, clever Vivi."

"Yeah, I gathered when you started putting 'clever' in front of my name all the time."

"Should I add brave and kind?"

"Bit much, don'tcha think?" She stood, pulling him to his feet. "Don't want to give me a big head or anything. 'Sides Lew might get jealous."

Mystery snorted, adjusting his glasses. "Vivi, please. If he ever expresses jealousy I will personally steal his shin bones and bury them on the other side of the planet." He glanced up at the Deadbeat. "And you can tell him that. If the idiot can't tell the difference between admiration and infatuation that is his problem and not mine." He righted his stool and sat.

"So you gonna eat the chicken?" She shoved the plate back at him.

"With pleasure." He smiled, digging in.

"Hey Mystery, just out of curiosity, one more question?"

"Hmmm?" He grunted, mouth full.

"When we got to you guys on the riverbank, you and Callie looked like you were working fine together… I mean, were you?"

He sighed. "Yes. I knew she would be able to speak with the ghost woman convincingly given her background, enough to convince the woman to return the child. All I had to do was appear non-threatening and retrieve the child. Perhaps ease her fright." He paused, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "She was a rather adorable infant. Even if she did grab my ear."

Vivi grinned, cutting into her own chicken. She didn't care what Callie thought, Mystery was a big old softie and nobody would convince her otherwise.


	6. Nowhere Fast

Arthur raised Excalibur, blocking Callie's arm. His muscles no longer ached from this motion as they had for the first few weeks, and the reaction came swifter every time. Still, after half an hour of these exercises, he was covered in sweat and panting. That probably wouldn't change for awhile.

"You've improved." Callie lowered her arms and gestured to the ground. Sheathing Excalibur, he sank to the grass and lay back, concentrating on breathing for awhile. "You haven't explained yet to me why we are outside for this lesson, and by the river no less."

"Thought maybe you'd like to be near water for a change. And we've got boxes all over the house, not that the shop was that great a place to swing a sword either. This is nice and open, and nobody's around. Perks of a small town, there's private spots all over."

"Why would you think I'd want to be by the river?" She hovered just at the edge of his vision, and he turned his head so he could stare up at her.

"You're a water spirit, thought it would be good for you?" He hesitated. "Not so much?"

"I appreciate the thought, Arthur, but I won't shrivel up if I'm away from a source of water. It doesn't work like that."

"Well how does it work?" He folded his arms behind his head. "I don't really know that much about you, except you're King Arthur's sword, and Mystery says you're more powerful than he is."

"Higher level spirit." Callie corrected.

"What's the difference?"

"It means he can't injure me, but I could injure him if I so chose."

"Wait a minute," Arthur sat up. "I'm not the spirit expert here, but ghouls seem like they're pretty low level. Mystery still has scars from those suckers, I feel them when I'm petting him."

"Yes, well, ghouls are also generally scattered individual spirits with little to no will or capacity to think, but you saw them as a collected army. Morgause called them and bent them to her will as an army, and likely lent them a higher level of ability with her spells. And even the strongest spirit can be overwhelmed by numbers."

"I guess so. So you're saying Mystery can't hurt you?"

"Yes."

"But you could hurt him?" Arthur hedged.

Callie eyed him silently.

"Would you?"

"I can only harm someone on your command, Arthur."

Arthur blinked. "You… what?"

"My nature is to heal and restore." She reached out a twisting arm, touching the sword gingerly. "But my anchor is an object of war. Of myself I neither can nor would harm anyone. But my anchor is yours to command."

His eyes lost focus as he recalled the fight in the ruins of Morgause's home. "You changed when I ordered you after her. You're saying that only happens if I tell you to?"

She settled on the ground, coiling around until her chin rested on her tail, facing him still. "Yes."

"And you didn't feel it was important to explain this why?" Arthur exclaimed. "Callie we've done nothing but defensive training!"

"Yes, I recall you saying you would have no more of that until I promised to teach you attack, and yet here you are." She replied wearily. "This leads me to believe you are not really doing this because you want a lesson, but because you want information. That, and your purple friend attempting to disguise itself as a mushroom."

Arthur twisted around. Behind him, a Deadbeat stood perfectly still, attempting to appear as if it had indeed sprouted from the ground.

"Subtle, Lew." Arthur rolled his eyes, turning back to Callie. "Well, can you blame me? We're going to be spending a lot of time together, probably the rest of my life if I'm not mistaken. It would be best if we got to know each other, and you already know a lot about me. I know next to nothing about you."

"What exactly do I know about you?" Callie fiddled with the clover patch in front of her face.

"Why are you asking me? You know what you know, everything we explained."

"I know what you have said while waking, so why do you still speak while asleep?"

Arthur tensed. "I'm still…"

"Talking in your sleep. Yes." Her eyes shifted back to the Deadbeat. "Sometimes crying."

Arthur sighed. "There've been less nightmares, but I still get them every now and then."

A wet hand brushed his knee. "I could only heal the damage inflicted on you by another. The damage you hold onto is one you must learn to let go of."

Arthur drew his knees up. "I don't know how to."

"Because you feel you deserve the pain still?"

Arthur rested his forehead on his knees, wrapping his arms around them in a little shelter. How did this conversation get turned around on him?

"I've watched you for two months now, and it never ceases to amaze me that you still hold it as your fault, when literally each member of your group refuses to hold it against you. Even the one that died."

Arthur felt something rustling through his hair. His head jerked up and he reached a hand up, ready to swat whatever bug had crawled up there. A soft chirp arrested his hand, and a little purple face peered down at him upside down. It stared at him sadly, patting his forehead with tiny nubby hands. Then it withdrew, nestling in his hair.

"Very loyal." Callie said quietly. "And he forgives you. There is only one person who hasn't forgiven you, and when that happens, maybe you will stop having nightmares."

Arthur took a deep breath, determined to put the conversation back on track. "Alright then. You talk about forgiveness, what's going on between you and Mystery?"

She withdrew her hand from his knee, her expression icy. "Some things are unforgivable."

"Who gets to decide that though? And what did he do to you?"

"I think our lesson is over Arthur." She rose into the air, lifting the cloak she'd discarded earlier and draping it around herself. "You are doing well, improving quite a bit."

"Don't you just say something like that about being able to forgive myself and walk off in the middle of my question!" He burst out. "Callie I've had it up to here, you two are constantly sniping at each other behind my back and glaring daggers when I'm there, don't think I don't hear you sometimes! And I probably don't even hear half of it."

"I'm sorry you hear those things." She said curtly. "I'm sure there are devices that can be purchased in this time that can help you block your hearing at night."

"I don't need earplugs Callie, I need to not have to mediate between two overpowered spirits! The only reason Mystery listens to me is because he cares, and the only reason you do is because of the sword!"

Callie flinched, but he continued. "I can't be everywhere, and this is a team. I need you to do a hell of a lot more than just co-exist with Mystery. I need you on my side, which means I need you on HIS side too."

"Arthur there are many things you can command of me but you cannot command that I befriend a creature like that." Her eyes flashed dark and flinty, and for a moment he caught a glimpse of the Lady of the Lake he had first encountered.

He started. What had she said back then?

_"There is nothing here that is yours, Arthur of the line of Uther. The gift was returned, and you have no claim on a gift returned."_

There had been such anger in her voice, such bitterness when he'd even hinted at claiming her. But once he had asked her…

"You're right, I can't command that and I won't. But I will ask you, Callie." At that, she hesitated. "I know you don't trust him, but Mystery has always had my back. _Always._ I know he did terrible things I probably can't even comprehend, but not one single day of my life have I seen that, and from what I gather neither has anyone in my family line for a very long time. Can you give me that much at least?"

She inclined her head the barest amount.

"Okay, and I saw you two working great together at the river. You let him take the baby, you wouldn't have let that happen if you thought he'd hurt her, right?" Again she acknowledged him. "So somewhere inside even you know he's different. I'm not asking you to be his best friend, okay? I'm asking you to be a working member of this team. Please, Callie, the less things I have to worry about right now… it would really be great. It's not been a smooth year for me."

"I will consider your words." She said quietly. "May we return now?"

Sighing, he stood, following after her as they headed back home. He couldn't help feeling frustrated, he'd hardly learned anything about her still. The topic had somehow backfired on him, and he'd ended up yelling instead. _Smooth._

He could feel the Deadbeat sliding down from his hair to his shoulder, leaning up against the side of his face and patting his cheek. He swallowed hard. He wished more than anything he could allow himself to let go of the guilt. Wished he could deserve his friend's care. He reached up, leveling his knuckles at the Deadbeat, who chirped and bumped them with its nubs.

He'd hear from Lewis later, no doubt. He hoped Vivi was having better luck with Mystery.


	7. Not Like The Others

Somewhere along the walk back, the Deadbeat had vanished, likely recollecting the evening to Lewis. Arthur ambled down the sidewalk, in no real hurry to return, accompanied by a hooded figure. He'd started to get used to the odd looks they drew, and even the rumors that trickled back to him. Every now and then a kid would run up to him and ask if they could touch the sword. Callie never seemed to mind, and Arthur would let them wrap their hands around the hilt for a few seconds before they ran off, jabbering a mile a minute about how they got to hold a real sword.

But it was nighttime, and the town rolled up its sidewalks by eight. The streets were fairly clear for the walk back. Arthur's hand rested on the hilt, as it had come to more and more lately. It was starting to feel natural, even comforting.

"Arthur?"

He glanced over to Callie, raising an eyebrow. She rarely initiated a conversation. "Yeah Callie?"

He could see the arms of the cloak twisting around each other, the sleeve material clenching and unclenching in different places. "You have been piecing together some of what happened back then, but one thing I do not know and I wish I did… do you know what became of Merlin?"

Arthur slowed a bit. "You knew Merlin? Mystery mentioned him a few times. Said Merlin was the one that bound him to my line. Cursed him a few times for not letting him have more power."

"I knew that much. But do you know what happened to him?" She peered up hopefully. "You have uncovered many things about that time that have led to today, have you found even a little information about him?"

He shook his head. "No Callie, can't say as I have." Her head dropped back under the hood. "Hey, Callie, I'll keep an eye out, okay? Maybe Vivi's got something in her books."

"We've been over her books, there is nothing mentioning Merlin."

"Then there are other books, her collection isn't all there is in the world. But hey, you knew Merlin? How'd you know him?"

A heavy hand settled on Arthur's shoulder, and he jerked, whirling to face Lewis. His gut sank. Lewis had on his human appearance, and the look on his face was a mix of disbelief and hurt.

"I'll just return myself." Callie murmured, her cloak swishing as she passed them. "You two have to talk."

 _Someday I'm going to get a straight answer from her when I ask something._ Arthur swallowed, glancing down at Lewis' hand on his shoulder. "Um. Hey. Lewis. What's, um. What's going on? Thought the three of us were going to meet up and chat later."

Lewis' other hand clamped down on the other shoulder, and Arthur groaned.

"Arthur…. what's it going to take?" Lewis asked, searching his face. "What do I have to do?"

Arthur's jaw clenched. "Don't go here Lew. Please. Just… let's just go home." He tried to pull away, but Lewis had always been bigger and stronger, and the ghost wasn't budging.

"No. Arthur, this isn't…" He gave a frustrated groan. "This isn't right! Do you see me trying to kill you? Do you hear me beating you over the head with what happened? I don't get it Arthur! You're still going on about it, kicking yourself when I'm not around. Why can't you let it go?"

Arthur's head was tucked so far down his chin dug into his chest.

"What can I do to help you let it go, Arthur?" Lewis pleaded, crouching down and trying to find Arthur's eyes.

"DON'T BE DEAD, LEW!" Arthur exploded, grabbing Lewis' hands and trying to pry them from his shoulders. "DON'T BE DEAD AND SIX FEET UNDER, OKAY? HOW ABOUT THAT'S ME AND NOT YOU? CAN YOU DO THAT? NO? I DIDN'T THINK SO, SO DON'T KEEP TRYING TO MAKE IT OKAY!"

Lewis' fingers didn't budge, glued to Arthur's shoulders as he struggled. Arthur gave up on trying to move Lewis' hands and began shoving him, which had about the same effect. "YELL AT ME! HIT ME! WHY DON'T YOU EVEN TRY AND MAKE ME FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT ANYMORE? YOU WERE RIGHT, OKAY? YOU SHOULD HAVE KEPT TRYING TO KILL ME, MAYBE NOT IN THE CAVE, BUT… BUT… SOMEWHERE!" His fists pounded on Lewis' chest, as the ghost continued to hold him in place.

"We've been over this before, Arthur." Lewis said quietly.

"AND IT DOESN'T GO AWAY, IT NEVER DOES!" His breathing was ragged. "Every time you go through a wall, or float, or send around a Deadbeat it just reminds me! And sometimes I forget when I see you like this, but it's always RIGHT THERE! And you know… you know what? You can never have a normal life with Vivi, you know that? Do you?"

Lewis' grip tightened slightly, and Arthur half-laughed half-sobbed. "Yeah, how often do you think about that, huh? Oh it's great you're with us, it's great you're back and GODS you have no idea how much I missed you and wanted to tell you I'm sorry, but now all I can think is how much it's gotta tear you up inside because you're all Vivi ever wanted, and she's all you ever wanted, and it'll never be like you guys probably planned it BECAUSE OF ME!" Arthur swayed slightly, feeling the heat in Lewis' hands. For a moment, he wondered what it would be like to die burned to a crisp by pink flame. It had to feel better than this.

Instead, Lewis pulled him close and folded large arms around Arthur.

Arthur went limp, his body shuddering. "Why?" He choked.

"Just shut up." Lewis said tiredly. "Does there really have to be a why? Not that I haven't already tried to convince you a dozen times. Gods Arthur… I just want you to be able to let it go. You're scaring me."

"S-scaring YOU?"

"Yes idiot. I get a glimpse of your head every now and then when you let me. I see some of those thoughts. The notes you would write. The ways you'd do it."

Trying to get free of Lewis' grip would be pointless. Arthur knew that. All he could do was hide his face in Lewis' shoulder.

"Please, Arthur. Please. What can I do? Anything…"

"I don't know." Arthur whispered. "I don't know how to make it stop."

Lewis held him for a few more moments, before finally releasing him, keeping one hand on his shoulder to make sure he didn't crumple. "Will you keep talking to me, Arthur? Me and Vivi?"

"I don't have a choice." Arthur weaved on his feet. "Every secret I keep comes back to bite me later, it's self-preservation at this point. I didn't… I didn't think that was as big as that… I didn't mean to yell, Lew, I'm sorry…"

"Sounded like you were jamming it down awhile." Lewis gingerly patted his shoulder. "Not that, ah, I know anything about that." He smiled sheepishly.

Arthur snorted. "Oh yeah your explosions were a walk in the park." He wiped his face, sighing. "I'm sorry."

"If I have to hear 'I'm sorry' out of you one more time, I swear…"

"Working on it." Arthur jammed his hands in his pockets and resumed his walk back to the house, Lewis keeping pace beside him. "Did you see all that back there with Callie?"

Lewis nodded. "She turned the conversation. Definitely hiding something."

"Yeah. I don't like it Lew, that stuff tends to burn the whole group later. Twice now… no, three times."

"You can't force it out of her though."

"I know… maybe we'll be able to piece something together from Vivi's conversation with Mystery. There has to be some clue we get out of tonight."

…...

Callie drifted toward the house, still twisting the sleeves of her cloak. The conversation far behind her rang through her head. She had no intention of telling Arthur she could hear everything in the vicinity of her anchor, but it did make it difficult to concentrate when she left it. She drew the cloak tighter around herself. There was nothing more she could do for Arthur regarding his guilt, he would have to face that himself and lay it to rest. If anyone could help him it would be the loyal ghost.

Approaching the front door, she hesitated as she heard Mystery's loud barking laugh. Vivi's voice was an undercurrent, weaving some amusing anecdote she couldn't make out.

So, then. This had been a double set-up. She couldn't blame them, she supposed. She wasn't forthcoming, and the dog's very presence rankled her. But he had probably spilled all kinds of stories, lies likely. She wouldn't put it past him to transform and gobble Vivi down without a second thought.

She shut her eyes, shaking her head slowly.

_Arthur said there was no behavior of the sort in all his family line. The second I freed him he leaped to Arthur's aid first._

"It does not excuse him." She said to herself bitterly. Turning from the door, she dropped the cloak and flowed around the side of the house to a window set by the kitchen. She hovered just under the windowsill, out of sight, listening.

"And she was asking me why the little boy had a tiger nobody else could see, and what sort of adult would let a child own a tiger."

Callie started. Vivi was speaking of her! Most of her mornings were spent in Vivi's bookstore, carefully turning page after page with a metal rod, absorbing knowledge. Vivi had planted one book full of pictures in front of her, declaring she needed to read something fun for a change.

"Arthur loved Calvin & Hobbes." Mystery chuckled. "Could never get enough of them. I was pressed into the role of Hobbes several times."

"Callie still doesn't get it. But it's not important. She's catching up on a lot of other things, and it seems like she enjoys reading. Happy to supply her."

"Just be careful around her, Vivi."

"Yeah, you said you don't trust her. You never really explained why. Okay, she didn't heal King Arthur, and we don't know why. And you're sick of her shoving your past in your face, but that's not a reason not to trust her."

Callie froze, pressed against the wall. The vibration of their voices rippled through her body.

"Something you need to understand, Vivi, is the nature of a water spirit. They are healers by nature. Kind, gentle, joyful, and exceedingly naive. In fact, if you took your typical eight year old child and gave them the power of a low level god, you would be looking at something close to what a water spirit is like."

There was a long pause, and Vivi mused, "That sounds really adorable… but…"

"Nothing like Callie. Vivi, you weren't there to witness her remove Morgause from your body, but let me assure you, the creature she became in no way resembled anything I have ever seen from a water spirit. And even after, she hasn't once displayed any of the traits I mentioned before aside from healing. Has she laughed once? Smiled more than a touch? Showed any child-likeness that didn't arise from her being centuries behind the time?"

When Vivi didn't answer, Mystery continued. "At the river, she told me there was a water spirit living there that would prevent the child from being drowned if it was dropped in. I assume, then, that the reason we were preventing the ghost from dropping the child was not to save it from drowning, but to keep it from being whisked away beyond retrieval. Not even I know what happens when water spirits save the drowning."

"Whoah wait, save the drowning?"

"She mentioned that no water spirit would allow a human child to drown if it was nearby, and would take it away. Beyond that, I don't know. But when she reached down to touch the river, it froze solid before she could. Afterward, when the child was safe, I tried to touch the river, and it froze under my paw as well. And as she is so fond of reminding me, I am a dark spirit that no healer would want contact with."

"What are you saying Mystery?"

Every molecule of Callie's body hung quivering on his answer. _Don't. Don't. Don't._

"I'm not sure." He sighed through his teeth. "I have my suspicions, but frankly, I don't see how it's possible, so I will keep them to myself for now."

Callie dripped down the wall, slumping into the dirt below the window.

"But keep watch Vivi. I don't trust her because I don't understand her nature, and I _should._ I should _know_ a water spirit, not that I liked them to begin with. Their naivete caused all kinds of problems no matter how good their intentions were."

"How would you know…?" Vivi asked.

"Because I was evil myself?" He finished her question wryly. "It is the easiest thing in the world to take a well-intentioned gesture that is not thought out and twist it. There were times when I did this, but Vivi, more often than not my help was unnecessary. They act without thinking, hoping it will turn out for the best, when most often it undoes the very good they hope to cause."

Callie dragged herself along the ground toward the front door. She couldn't hear anymore. She couldn't. _No more. No more. Conversation. Stop. Stop. Conversation._

"She'll fail him, Vivi. That's the other reason I don't trust her. She failed King Arthur, how do I know she won't fail Arthur when he most needs her?"

_STOP. CONVERSATION. NOW._

She crawled to the front stoop. She could hear Lewis and Arthur bantering in the back of her mind, drawing closer as her anchor closed in. She pulled the cloak around her, then dropped it again. She couldn't go in and face that dog and his smug face. Turning, she dove for her anchor with all speed, flashing down the walk, around the corner, and past Arthur's startled defensive block, nestling deep within the gem in the hilt.

_No more. No more. No more._

She curled tightly within the sword.

_No more._


	8. Coming To Terms

"What's with her?" Arthur scooped up the cloak he found abandoned on the front porch and draped it over his shoulder. At Lewis' shrug, he opened the door and walked in. "Hey Vivi!" He raised a hand, waving. "Mystery. You guys save me any leftovers?"

"There's a few pieces of chicken in the fridge." Vivi jerked her head toward the fridge. Save me one for lunch tomorrow though." A small pink deadbeat lay curled up in Vivi's lap, purring contentedly as she stroked it. Lewis sputtered, turning bright red. "You left this in a conspicuous spot." She grinned at him

"Yeah mine was pretending to be a mushroom. Somebody's got to get him stealth lessons or something." Arthur tossed the cloak at a chair and sank into it. "Good talk?"

"Why yes, Arthur, very enjoyable evening with Vivi discussing things that couldn't possibly have been planned by the whole group." Mystery stared pointedly at him.

"Not sorry." Arthur stuck his chin out. "Now comes part two, you ready?"

"Ready?" Mystery blinked. "Ready for what?"

Arthur loosened the buckle around his waist and slid the scabbard off. "Part two. Here. You two go talk, and come back when you've come to some kind of understanding. Yes I'm serious. I need to know we can rely on both of you. I don't need you to like each other, just be able to work together. Mystery, please." He held Excalibur out. "Go talk to her. We need to have a meeting ourselves here."

Mystery stared at the sword before turning to Vivi. "I need your scarf."

"My scarf?" She blinked.

"If she is a pure spirit I'm not interested in being burned through mere contact, even if it's just her anchor there's no guarantee."

Nodding, Vivi unwound her scarf and handed it to Mystery. He wrapped one hand with the fabric, then carefully took the proffered sword and limped out the door, closing it behind him.

"Now then," Vivi tossed the Deadbeat to Lewis, who caught it. "Download THAT conversation, we have a lot to talk about."

…...

Mystery limped down the walk and turned off onto the grassy lawn, seating himself carefully and laying the sword flat on the grass in front of him. He eyed it for a moment before asking, "Well, are you going to just hide there all night or are you going to come out and talk to me?"

_"Arthur has my cloak."_

"Of course." Mystery cleared his throat, feeling a little foolish. "Well. I suppose you had a similar conversation as I this evening. I don't like you, you don't like me. But I'm not leaving, and neither are you, so."

_"So we are supposed to hold hands and sing and dance in complete harmony."_

"Or at least pretend." Mystery sighed.

_"Only dogs lie."_

Mystery opened his mouth, then snapped it shut just as quickly. He took in a long, slow breath through his nose. "Callie." He began, enunciating each word carefully. "I am making _every_ effort right now to build at least an understanding with you that we won't engage in this sort of conflict. If you won't do it for me, which I know you wouldn't, at least do it for Arthur."

The sword lay silent, the gem swirling.

"Do you care at all for Arthur?" Mystery tilted his head.

_"Arthur is… troubled."_

"That isn't what I asked. Do you care for Arthur?"

_"He holds my anchor. I have submitted my will to him."_

"That isn't what I asked!" Mystery snapped. "Gods Callie, you have a mind, you have an opinion. Just because you're bound doesn't mean you can't tell me if you care for him! You obviously didn't care for King Arthur, I need to know if you care for THIS Arthur!"

The gem flashed for a moment before simmering back down. _"I will answer you if you answer me one question."_

"What question?"

_"Did you have anything to do with Merlin's disappearance?"_

Mystery snatched Excalibur off the ground with a cloth-wrapped hand. "You knew Merlin? Callie, where is he? What happened?! WHY WASN'T HE THERE?" He shook the sword. "Do you know something?"

_"That is why I was asking you. Did you have to do with his disappearance? Why he failed to be there when the king needed him?"_

"No! On my life, I don't know where he was!"

A low sigh slid out of the sword. _"And no explanation still."_

"How did you know him?" Mystery demanded.

_"That is not the question you asked me. And the answer to the question you asked me is… he troubles me. I am concerned for him. Is that enough for you?"_

Mystery set the sword down, glaring. "It will do for now."

_"Dog."_

"What?" He growled.

_"When was the last time you saw Merlin?"_

Mystery's eyes narrowed. "A question for a question. How do you know Merlin?"

The gem dimmed. _"Then perhaps we are done for the evening. I will work with you, dog, and I will stop speaking of our past as long as you do as well. Are we agreed?"_

Mystery tilted his head again, eyes glimmering. "Only so long as Arthur is not put in danger by this agreement."

_"He won't be."_

"Funny." Mystery stood to his feet, slowly lifting Excalibur from the ground. "I've heard that before."

….

Vivi exhaled slowly. Lewis had re-absorbed the Deadbeats along with the collected experience of each, then turned around and given the memory of Arthur's conversation with Callie to her, and her conversation with Mystery to Arthur.

"Something's up with Callie." She pushed her glasses up. "Mystery was totally open, but she won't come near this topic. And she really doesn't behave anything like what he described. She doesn't come off as naive at all."

Arthur fiddled with his eyebrow, mulling over both conversations. "I guess the question is, where do we go from here? Do we dig with Callie, or let it lie if they agree to work things out?"

"Why one or the other?" Lewis asked. "If they come to some agreement, we can let it lie for the most part. But there's no harm in asking questions here and there, now and then. Carefully."

"Why Lew, being subtle?" Arthur grinned. "Not really your style."

"Neither is orange, thanks." Lewis shot back.

"Aw knock it off Squire. I think he looks great." Vivi grinned. "But good to see you two laugh a little." She stretched. "It's kinda been a long night. I'm gonna turn in soon. Think they're doing alright?"

Arthur hopped up on a knee, peering out the window. "Looks like Mystery's coming back. They might have worked something out. I hope." He added under his breath.

"Alright then. I've got work tomorrow, and you do too. Say hi to Lance for me, kay Squire?"

"Will do Viv. Good luck with tomorrow's lessons. I don't know what mood Callie will be in."

"I can handle her, don't worry." Vivi headed off to her room. Lewis waved at Arthur, following Vivi down the hall.

"You can handle Mystery, that much is obvious." Arthur muttered to himself, rising to get the door for his friend. "Callie's a whole other kettle of fish."


	9. As Evening Falls

"So you're gonna have to fill me in a little more than that, Lew." Vivi pulled on a lengthy blue nightshirt, stretching. "That memory set you gave me? Cut off pretty abruptly as soon as you saw Squire after his talk. And don't think I didn't notice that little edited blank spot in his conversation with Callie. What gives?"

Lewis sat on the edge of the bed, shifting like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar. "Ah. Well. It's not… hugely important?" He cranked up a grin. "Arthur's just having a little bit of a hard time with a couple of things."

"Yeah, I gathered." She plopped down next to him, leveling a hard stare. "And we were also done keeping secrets from each other."

Lewis scooted a couple inches away before she grabbed his arm. "Lew. Come on."

Sighing, he placed his hands on her head. "Funny, it's easier to say that to Arthur than hear it from you."

His hands glowed, and Vivi's eyes widened as Arthur's shouting session filtered into her memories. "Oh… Oh Lewis…" She started to stand, but he pulled her back down.

"He'll be okay Vivi. He's not going to do anything. We talked, and we'll keep talking. We won't stop until things have smoothed out and he stops kicking himself. Promise."

She sat there, studying her lap for a moment, and he scooted closer again. "Vivi?" She could feel his arm curl around her, and she leaned against his chest.

"Well. He said it out loud, I guess." She mumbled. "What about it, Lew? We never really talked about it."

Lewis' grip on Vivi tightened slightly, as if he were afraid she would vanish somehow. "About…" He coughed.

"About us. What happens."

"I was just kind of hoping we could keep going and not have to talk about that…" he trailed off.

Vivi pulled free of his arm and slipped under the covers, scooting over and lifting them for Lewis. He slid in with her, holding solid enough for the blankets to stay up. She knew the blankets did nothing for him, but was grateful he did it for her. She rolled in close and he wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head under his chin.

"How long are you gonna stay with us, Lew?" She whispered. "Do you get to stay?"

Lewis' fingers ran through her hair. "I don't know." He admitted. "My first reason for being here was killing Arthur. That changed… now my reason for being here is you. I don't know if that works, or how it works. I'm new at this still. I'll be here as long as I can." He hesitated, and she could feel his form going rigid. "Unless… I mean… if you wanted… needed… to move on… I'd… I'd understand. I can't expect you to-"

He was interrupted by Vivi pulling her head out from under his chin to plant a kiss on his mouth. "You big dead idiot."

He relaxed again, returning the kiss.

"Honestly," She teased, tucking herself back under his chin. "You're just as bad of a worry wart as Squire. You honestly think I'm going with anyone else? You newt noddling worm wagon." She squeezed him tightly.

His form glowed with warmth, a contented smile spread across his face. "So, you're okay?"

"With not having a normal life?" She snorted. "Lew, we're long past that, don't ever ask me that question again."

His hand came up to cradle the back of her head, stroking her neck tenderly. "What do you want to hear tonight?" He asked softly. He'd taken it as his personal task to sing Vivi to sleep at night and watch over her dreams, keeping them free of the lingering nightmares of her intended destiny.

"All I Ask Of You." She snuggled in, closing her eyes. She put one hand to Lewis' locket, which hung with her own and the flame pendant around her neck. She could feel the gentle pulse of his heart under her fingertips.

The Deadbeats slipped out, each one curling up on Vivi's pillow and humming a gentle backup melody as Lewis began.

_No more talk of darkness. Forget these wide-eyed fears, I'm here. Nothing can harm you. My words will warm and calm you…_

….

"So you guys talked it out?" Arthur asked suspiciously, pulling on an old tank and shorts. "That was really fast."

"Well it seems the bulk of the conversation was already dealt with by yourself and Vivi." Mystery sniped back, leaning Excalibur in the corner and unwinding the scarf from his hand.

"Again, not sorry." He grabbed Callie's cloak, hanging it up in the closet. "But I'm glad an agreement was reached."

Mystery rolled his eyes, shrinking down into dog form. He stretched, yawning widely.

"Hey buddy, think I can borrow your leg tomorrow?"

Mystery lifted an ear curiously.

"Well that prototype was never meant to be the final one, and looks like there's still some lag-time on the conforming programming. I want to see if I can fine tune it, or give it a tune up."

Mystery nodded, padding up to the bed before pausing.

"What's up?" Arthur asked, sliding under the covers.

Mystery glanced at Excalibur, then back to Arthur, then turned around and nosed his way out the door.

"Mystery! What gives?" Arthur called. Mystery gave a soft bark before plopping heavily on the couch in the living room, loud enough to make the springs squeak and let Arthur know where he would be. "What's up with him?" He muttered. He propped his pillows up against the headboard and leaned against them, facing Excalibur. "What about you, how do you think your talk with Mystery went?"

 _"We have come to terms."_ The gem shimmered. _"I'm not sure why he left just now."_

"Got me. But he usually has reasons for what he does." Arthur disconnected his prosthetic, setting it aside gingerly and rubbing his stump.

_"Arthur?"_

"Yeah Callie?" He couldn't help feeling a little encouraged. This was the second time she was starting a conversation, he hoped…

_"What you did to Lewis… what you were forced to do…"_

He tensed. This wasn't the conversation he was hoping for.

_"When you find a way to move past it, I hope you tell me how you go about it."_

He blinked, surprised. "Tell you about it? What do you mean? Callie? Callie!"

The gem had gone dim, and Callie was not answering.

"Deliver me from stubborn high-level spirits!" Arthur groaned, rolling the blankets around him. "Or deliver them from bull-headedness!"

A small pink ghost slipped into the room and settled by Arthur's head. He eyed the Deadbeat curiously as it chirped, setting its hands against his temple. An image filtered into his mind, of Vivi sound asleep in Lewis' arms.

A soft smile warmed his face. "Okay Lew, I get it. It'll be alright with Vivi. Thanks…"

The Deadbeat flicked the side of his face before vanishing out the door.


	10. Fun and Games

"Ya know, usually when I ask someone how their night went, I get an answer like, 'Lance buddy, that was the best steak I've had in months.' Or 'Fantastic, didya see the Eagles really take 'em down this time?' When did the answer start bein' 'Rough night, had ta mediate between an overgrown magical fox and a water lady'?"

Arthur chuckled, tossing a busted car door handle over his shoulder and inspecting the mechanism. "Yeah, sorry. At least your house and shop are quieter."

"Well." Lance scratched his beard. "Not gonna say I didn't like hearin' music every night, but the little purple ghosts were a bit eerie. Not that seein' a skeleton first thing when I get outta my room wasn't, mind you, but at least I knew it was Lewis."

"The Deadbeats are Lewis too, just bits of his subconscious."

"Your life got weird Artie."

"Yeah I know Uncle Lance. But it's not bad either."

"Not now maybe. Kid, you gonna be okay if some really bad grease hits the floor?"

"Relax Uncle Lance. I've got more hard hitters on my side at this point than… um…"

"Than Sydney Bakabella and his Wrecking Crew."

"Yeah, that guy. Man he's a sleaze, was he fun to work with?" Arthur jammed a tool into the door mechanisms, tweaking carefully.

"Oh yeah. Loads different behind the scenes, a riot to watch ringside though. Crowds were screamin' for his head."

"I'll bet. So yeah, I'm covered."

"You better be, kid. I don't wanna find pieces of you everywhere when I come over one day, okay?"

"You won't Uncle Lance." Arthur grinned, grabbing a new door handle and fixing it in place. "You should come over sometime though."

"Naaaah, I'm good here kid. You can see me whenever you want. I'm not much for the ghostie scene. Toss me the wire cutters."

"Here ya go." Arthur arced the wire cutters perfectly through the air and Lance snatched them, turning to fiddle with the motorcycle in front of him.

"Where's Mystery? He's usually bangin' down the door to teach you something or other around this time, right?"

"Said he was gonna take a few days' break from teaching me." Arthur slammed the door and tested the handle, which promptly fell off in his hand. He sighed, crouching down to work with it again. "Hunk of junk… he forgot a lot of what he used to be able to do while he was bound. He says it's all still there, all his abilities, but he hasn't sat down and spent time out in the countryside recalling them. He thinks it would be good to have all that on hand again just in case. And I told Callie I need some time to work on Mystery's prosthetic, so she'll focus on Vivi for awhile." Arthur glanced at the clock, then down at the handle in his hands. "Hey Uncle Lance, can I take my lunch early?"

"Sure kid, but we gotta get that heap outta here by the end of the day, I'm sick of lookin' at its ugly fenders."

"Gotcha."

"Where you headed?" Lance called as Arthur headed toward the door.

Arthur paused long enough to grab a rag, wiping his hands. "Think I'm gonna head down to the river today."

Lance nodded and waved. As Arthur left the shop, Lance glanced in the corner and frowned. "Now how come the boy goes on'n'on about all the firepower he's got backin' him and goes and leaves his sword?"

….

Arthur sat on the bank of the river, chewing thoughtfully on his sandwich. How did one coax a water spirit out to talk?

This was the only river running by the town, the one that had frozen under Mystery's paw and Callie's touch. Thinking back on his conversation with her the previous night, she had never once gone near it or made an attempt to touch the waters. Everywhere else he'd taken her, she was constantly touching liquids, whether it was a glass of water he was trying to drink or a dirty puddle on the sidewalk, but there lay a whole river and she treated it like it was contaminated.

A water spirit lived there, according to Mystery. One that didn't want either Mystery's or Callie's intrusion. But maybe…

He set the sandwich down and eased down a bit, poking his shoe into the water. It slipped in, no ice.

He cleared his throat. "Um, hey. So, ah… I heard there's a water spirit here." He paused, looking around. A leaf drifted down the current, and he felt extremely foolish addressing a body of water, but it was his only lead. "Yeah, a water spirit… um… have it on good authority. I won't freak out or anything but, um, I'd like to talk to you?"

Something cold and slimy slipped down his back. He shrieked, catapulting himself straight into the river. He came up spluttering, flailing around. Someone was laughing somewhere, but he was trying to reach the bank again.

"The look on your face was funny." The waters around him heaved, washing him onto the bank. He scrambled up it and flipped over, staring all around. "Right here." He jerked to his right, coming face to face with a mischievous smile and wide eyes glinting with good humor. "I've seen you before. You came the night with the ghost lady, and the other day too. What's your name?"

"Ar-arthur." He stammered, wiping the water out of his face.

"Hi Ararthur." The spirit flipped upside down, beaming at him. "Good to meet you."

"It's just Arthur. Hi." He studied the spirit. It looked in every way just like Callie, same head with a tapering twisting eel-like body, same arms curved back and around like horns from its head. He could see through it more than Callie though, and he'd never seen a smile on her face anywhere near the sheer glee that graced this spirit's face.

"Not a lot of people ask for me anymore. What do you want? Oh wait!" It giggled, swooping forward to put its face to his. "Don't tell me, lemme guess, I'm good at guessing!"

"Ah, I don't need anything but infor-"

"No no no don't, I wanna play the game." It stuck its hand over his mouth and nose, frowning in deep concentration.

Arthur jerked his head back. He couldn't breathe! But the hand followed his face, the spirit's eyes still inspecting the ground as it tried to guess what Arthur wanted. It glanced up, and smiled as he flailed at its arm. "Oh I know what you want!" It removed its hand, and Arthur fell back, gasping for air. "You want your arm fixed!"

"My… I… what?" He panted, starting to wonder if he'd done the right thing coming here.

"Your arm silly." It laughed, grabbing his mechanical arm and tugging. The prosthetic came apart in three pieces instantly. "It's not real, you want a real arm again."

"Stop!" Arthur grabbed at the pieces in dismay. "That's not what I came here for!"

"Don't be silly, why else would you come here knowing I was in the river? Hold still." It reached for the remains of the mechanical arm fixed to his stub, and Arthur flipped over, scrambling to his feet to run.

"Mystery!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. "Mystery!"

"Come back!" The spirit sounded put out, and a wall of water rose in front of Arthur, seeping out of the ground. Arthur skidded to a halt, realizing all at once what a horrible idea it had been to come here alone.

_Okay think, what did Mystery say? He said they're like eight year olds. Work that._

Arthur turned slowly, plastering on a smile. "Sorry, was just seeing how fast you could stop me. Fun game, right?"

The spirit tilted its head, unsure. "Thought you were trying to leave."

"Nah, nah. Just testing you, good job! Tell you what, you can fix my arm as soon as you tell me a story, can you tell me a story first?"

"What kind of story?" The wall of water dropped, and the spirit curled up in the grass in front of Arthur.

He sat as well, still working on how to get out of the situation he'd landed himself in. "Well, how about a story about other water spirits? Do you know any?"

The spirit's face scrunched in a troubled expression. "Yes. I don't like her."

"Oh?" He pounced on that, guessing who 'her' was. "Why don't you like her?"

"Doesn't feel right."

"What doesn't feel right?" He leaned forward.

The spirit opened its mouth, then suddenly shrank back as the ground shook, slithering down the bank like a shot and vanishing into the river. A huge, snarling form skidded to a halt behind him.

"Mystery I almost had good information!" Arthur exclaimed.

"And could have been in serious trouble! It's a good thing I heard you!" Mystery snapped. "Arthur, they're like children! They mean well, but they don't know what they're doing! Look what it did to your arm!" He spat a curse at the river. "Some of them don't even understand the concept of human anatomy, you might have ended up with an ape's arm, or a fish-tail at the end of your shoulder!"

Arthur paled slightly, gathering the pieces of his prosthetic up. "Okay okay, I get it. Point taken, don't come here alone."

"Don't come here at all." An angry voice shouted from the river. "Don't come back. You're not welcome if you're together! Go away demon dog!"

"Gladly." Mystery growled. "Keep your fish-eel arms off Arthur." He huffed, glaring down in irritation. "What information were you looking for anyway?"

"Nothing." Arthur muttered, frustrated. "Forget it. My lunch break is over, I have to get back to the shop and fix this mess. Just another dead end, seems to be my luck."


	11. Testing the Waters

Vivi poked her head around a rickety wooden bookshelf that smelled of dust and weathered pages, peering toward the back of the bookstore where a solitary hooded figure was seated at one of the few reading tables crammed against the wall. Staring at the figure long enough would give most people the sense that something was not quite right. Maybe it was the way the cloak draped on the chair-extremely precise and a little flat. Maybe it was the stillness of the figure bent over the book. Maybe it was the long metal rod it used to turn the pages of the book on the desk.

Vivi made sure every customer who came in was greeted promptly and had a minimum of two books in their hands at the end of their first minute in the store. People with a book in their hands didn't have time to be sticking their noses into other peoples' business, and she didn't want anyone disturbing Callie in her catch-up reading.

Not many people visited the bookstore and the doors would lock firmly at four, allowing Callie and Vivi time to learn from the books in the sealed cupboard, followed by a similar lesson from Mystery. But from the moment it opened at nine until the key turned in the lock, Callie was bent over the desk, painstakingly turning pages with her metal rod to keep the pages from getting damp, learning about the world around her.

The first book Vivi had insisted she page through was a basic world history textbook, followed by a brief guide to the evolution of technology and a few pieces of classic literature. After that, she'd set a stack up at Callie's designated desk consisting of autobiographies of varying people at different points in history from all different backgrounds. Every now and then she would slip in a fully illustrated book of artwork or landscape photography, and once or twice a comic book. She wasn't completely sure how to catch up someone a few hundred years behind the times, but she hoped she was doing a good job.

Today Callie was poring over a book of mythological creatures. Glancing at the clock, Vivi hurried to the front door, flipping the sign closed-side-out and locking the door. She stuck the book she'd been paging through under her arm and approached the water spirit. "Hey Callie, it's four. How's the book?"

Callie didn't answer, the metal rod hovering an inch over the page, pointing at an intricate illustration of a mermaid. Vivi gingerly tugged the hood of the cloak back so she could see Callie's face. The spirit's eyes were fixed longingly on the image.

Glancing from Callie to the book, Vivi hedged, "Just outta curiosity, being classed as a myth yourself, how many of these are actually made up?"

Callie turned gingerly to another section, the tip of the rod resting on the section describing Selkies. "Fewer than you would think. But it seems that time is long gone."

Vivi put a hand on Callie's head gently. "Sorry Callie. But seems like you're doing really well adjusting, yeah? Take that as an encouragement."

Callie's eyes closed, her body rippling softly under Vivi's touch as she leaned her head into the caress. It was a risk, Vivi had never touched Callie before. But something Mystery had said had made her wonder. Callie wasn't displaying the traits of a water spirit, but perhaps she had at one point. If she had, a spirit as playful and innocent as he described likely enjoyed physical contact of some kind. Indeed, as her hand passed back and forth over Callie's head, Callie's arms went limp and she sank into a loose coil on the seat, releasing a long sigh.

"Wow, you must have been super tense." Vivi squatted by the chair, following Callie down. "I don't usually see that kind of reaction short of taking a jackhammer to the knots in Lewis' back."

Callie opened one eye questioningly, and Vivi amended, "I mean, when he was alive, of course. His back was always super tight, and he said I had the magic touch. He gave pretty good massages too."

"You miss him." Callie observed.

Vivi hesitated. "Maybe it's weird to miss him since he's still here… but… yeah. Yeah I do."

"And you missed him before, when you thought he was gone forever."

"Yeah." Vivi slipped down to her rear, pulling her hand back and wiping it dry on her skirt. "It was a whole lot worse though."

"What did you do to make it not so bad?"

She shrugged. "I visited his grave a lot. Talked to him all the time. Left him flowers. It didn't fix it, but I felt a little better each time."

"What if you didn't have a grave to visit?" Callie asked. "What if he just vanished, what would you have done?"

Vivi's eyes narrowed slightly, but she held her suspicions in check. She didn't want Callie to clam up, and she probably would if Vivi pressed her with questions. Better to keep Callie asking the questions. "I think I'd have written letters to him, or maybe found a private place and had a conversation with him."

"Even if he wasn't there?" Callie looked puzzled.

"Well he wasn't really there even at his grave, but it made me feel better. I could pretend he could hear me, even if I knew he couldn't. And now he can." She smiled warmly. "I'm so glad."

"I'm glad for you." Vivi glanced back at Callie, surprised by the sincerity in the spirit's voice. "Perhaps his return was recompense from the universe for the suffering of your line." Callie reached up a hand to poke Vivi's cheek, probing her gingerly. "I have not seen this sort of joy and commitment to another since King Arthur and Guinevere."

"Yeah. That didn't end very well though." She said, treading carefully.

"No, it didn't. But when it was untainted, it was a glorious love to behold." The corner of Callie's mouth twitched slightly, before she turned away, carefully leveraging the book shut. "It is time for the lessons?"

"Yeah." Vivi sighed, standing and brushing off her skirt.

"You are frustrated like Arthur is, aren't you?" Callie noted glumly. "That I teach you only defensive skills."

"Well, Callie, I can't help thinking it would be better if my magic education was a little more rounded. Besides, I haven't even cast anything yet, it's all about reading right now. Yeah, I'm a little frustrated. But look, I'm grateful you're teaching me anything. These books haven't done anything but gather dust most of my life, and now I'm starting to be able to read them so…" She shrugged. "You're the teacher."

Callie rose from the chair, dragging the cloak along the ground after her as she followed Vivi. Hesitantly, she murmured, "Vivi?"

"Yeah Callie?" Vivi opened the door to the storage room where she and Callie could safely read. Fishing out her pendant, she pressed it to the indent in the cupboard she'd had placed there. The manager had been reluctant at first, but Vivi had promised one unpaid day of store management a month in return for allowing her to store it there.

"I'm not going to teach you combat spells." She said quietly. "Ever. And I'm not going to teach Arthur how to use Excalibur to kill someone."

Vivi paused for a minute, then pulled out a few books as Callie closed the door behind them. "Any reason why?"

"I will not teach you to take a life." Callie wouldn't meet Vivi's eyes.

"Callie," Vivi began, realizing she was headed out on thin ice, "I understand you not wanting to teach me that kind of magic, but the whole purpose of a sword is exactly what you are refusing to teach Squire."

"I'm very aware of that." Her voice came hard and frozen, the tips of her fingers curling and uncurling.

"Hey, Callie?" Vivi caught the water spirit's attention. "Callie, please don't get mad. I'm your friend. Obviously this is something that upsets you." Callie's eyes dropped down again. "You know exactly why you're upset, but we don't know. We don't know that, we don't know why you've decided not to teach Squire how to attack, we don't know any of this, so we're very confused. And a little worried. I mean, you know we've already been through a lot as a group because of secrets… but we're also worried about you."

Callie blinked, quirking her face skeptically at Vivi.

"What, is that so surprising?"

"Why would you be worried about me?"

"Cause you're part of our group, and it's obvious you're sad and upset about something."

Callie's face went flat. "That's what the _dog_ told you."

Vivi didn't flinch. "Yeah, he told us what water spirits are usually like, but Callie even if I didn't know that it's pretty obvious you're sad. Do you know why sometimes I take a break from giving you autobiographies and give you novels to read? It's 'cause there are other ways to tell things are wrong than someone just talking. You get to know someone, or read about them in a story, and there are little clues about why they're not okay dropped everywhere. And Callie you're practically screaming 'not okay' all the time." Vivi rubbed her arm, mumbling, "Take it from someone who spent a lot of time hiding those clues. You're pretty obvious."

Callie's arms twisted around each other, crossing and twining in distress. "Then stop _looking_ for clues. I know that you are worried but I will be fine and there is nothing to worry about. Just let me teach you magic and teach Arthur how to defend himself with Excalibur, that's all that needs to happen. Please. Please."

"Callie I hope you know it's not just me who's worried. Squire's showing a lot of it in frustration, but he's pretty worried for you too."

"No he's not." Callie shut her eyes. "He's not, I'm a sword."

Gingerly, Vivi stretched her hand out, placing it on Callie's head again. Callie flinched violently, pulling back.

"No I'm a sword, he…"

"Callie, don't forget who Squire is." Vivi murmured. "Arthur Rebbs, not King Arthur. And I guarantee you he's worried about you. He knows you're bound over to him, and he takes that very seriously. I know Squire, Callie. Known him all my life. He's probably wracking his brain trying to figure out how to help you, but he can't figure that out without knowing what's wrong. So he's trying to find out what's wrong."

"Nothing." Callie's arms circled her own body as if she were trying to hold herself in one piece. "Nothing is wrong. Magic lesson is starting now, open the book Vivi."

 _Like a child. Say it loud enough and long enough and it'll be true._ Vivi did as she was told, opening the book they had been working with. There was a long silence as Callie collected herself, and Vivi busied herself reviewing the last few sections they had translated.

"I appreciate your intentions." Callie finally addressed her. "But there is nothing to worry about. However you are right, it is time you put into practice some magic. You will have to take great care though. Only humans steeped in magic from infancy are able to use it freely. For you, magic will always cost, as you have seen with Morgause and her use of the bodies in your line. But there are ways around the cost, and it does not have to apply directly to your own body…"


	12. Team Buildling

"So it's really still working?" Lewis sat on Arthur's work desk, currently spread with mesh vests and plastic gun casings.

"For the umpteenth time, yes." Arthur wiggled metal fingers at Lewis. "Calm down. You did fine."

"That was weird Arthur. Can you _not_ lose your prosthetic again? Possessing you to fill in for your left arm so you can rebuild is really weird."

"Well I'll try, but obviously this wasn't planned!" Arthur glanced up, grinning. "C'mon, it didn't feel good to cross over to the techie side for once?"

"Give me a pen and an empty music sheet any day." Lewis shuddered.

"Yeah well your compositions were distracting me the whole time so there." He shook his head, directing his attention to the vest in front of him. "Look, you did great. You had access to exactly what I needed done, and we worked together, and my prosthetic's even better than ever. And then I got to upgrade Mystery's so there's no lag when he transforms."

"And now your latest project is…?" Lewis gestured at the table.

"Thought it would be fun for all of us to go laser tagging." He picked up a spraycan, shaking it, and pressing the nozzle. "But it's gotta be waterproofed. And a good insulator would help in case you flame out a bit." He winked.

"Lemme guess, 'Larry's Lazers' was more than happy to get free upgrades on their gear?" Lewis rolled his eyes.

"Better believe it. We get the place to ourselves for a whole night for all this."

"Why the sudden gaming urge?"

Arthur shrugged. "Well, I mean, you saw the bust yesterday went a little better than last time. Callie and Mystery behaved, but Callie's sunk in teaching Vivi lately, and Mystery's off recalling who-knows-what. We all kind of separated out a bit, and thought it would be nice to have some fun for once. Maybe see if your aim still sucks."

"Excuse me?" Lewis leaned over, eyes narrowing. "Who couldn't hit anything but the wall last time? You might have aim, but I'm light on my feet and that's all that matters."

"Laser tag, huh?" Vivi stuck her head in, grinning. "Sounds fantastic. Can't wait to relive the good ol' days." Her grin widened. "Where I wiped the floor with you two."

Both of them opened their mouths to contradict her, before glancing at each other.

"Lew?"

"Yeah Arthur?"

"We need to talk strategy and fast…"

…...

"Doesn't being in a game of laser tag require you to be faster than the people around you?" Mystery sighed, adjusting his seatbelt. "That's not an option for me anymore."

"One, the second prototype of your prosthetic is a lot lighter than before and two," Arthur gestured from the driver's seat. "Aim is half the strategy. If you can park yourself in a good spot to shoot people, you could have it made."

"Shoot?" Callie's voice was tense. "That is a word currently referencing a gun or rifle, what sort of game is this?"

"Sounds like someone's been catching up on modern weapons. Mystery, why don't you explain?" Arthur cleared his throat. "I… um… forgot where the place is, Vivi, can you do a map for me?"

"Wow, Squire, really lame." Vivi rolled her eyes. "That ploy is obvious ten miles away."

"Map please." Arthur sulked, pushing down on the gas pedal.

"What Arthur is pushing me to explain for some reason," Mystery grumbled, "Is there is no death in this game. The guns are toys with little lights in them. When the lights hit the vests we wear, we are pretend-dead for a few moments and then we get to play again."

"And nobody is harmed at all?" Callie turned back to Arthur.

"No, nobody is harmed." Mystery answered.

"And nobody is harmed?" She repeated, still pointing her face toward Arthur.

"Busy map-reading." Arthur pointed over his shoulder at Mystery. "He's your answer guy right now."

Callie turned all the way around to the back of the van where Lewis lay stretched out, relaxing. "Nobody is harmed?"

Lewis started. "Um…" He glanced up toward the front of the van, where Arthur was firmly shaking his head. "Um…" He phased through the floor of the van, slowly sinking out of sight.

Mystery kept his face forward, shoulders stiff. Callie turned forward again, not looking at Mystery. "I suppose then nobody is getting hurt if you say so."

"So kind of you to admit." Mystery returned through his teeth.

"Well, hope you two can get along, cause Vivi's sworn to wipe me out, so I call Lewis on my team." Arthur pulled into the lot. "We practiced a new trick, but that leaves just one more team."

"Arthur, why do you keep doing this?" Mystery hissed.

"Sorry I can't hear you over the car door opening." Arthur swung the door open, hopping out. "Time to play some laser tag!"

….

It was a challenge settling the vest over Callie and her cloak, but Arthur managed to secure it to her.

"So take the gun like this." He placed it in her hands, showing her where the trigger was and how to hold the barrel. "Point anywhere you see flashing lights and squeeze the trigger here. You'll see the other person's lights stop flashing for like, five or ten seconds when you get them. They can't shoot at all during that time, but when their lights are on again, then they can shoot you back. Anyone who's not on your team can do the same to you."

"Why am I not on your team, Arthur?"

"Cause you still have get-along-with-Mystery homework."

"I'm supposed to defend you."

"Yeah and so is he, and right now working together is the best thing you two can do if you really want to accomplish that when it's not a game. Okay?" When she refused to answer, he tapped the side of her head gently. "Hey, Callie. You and I really haven't gotten to talk much, maybe we can catch up soon? You've been hanging with Vivi a lot, and I miss seeing you around."

She blinked in surprise. "You do?"

"Well yeah. Who else is gonna train my arm off?" He adjusted her cloak, carefully tucking it tighter where it had pulled open a little. "But I'd like to get to know you, y'know? I kind of tried before and you didn't really want to talk about it. But maybe there's other things we can talk about."

"Why?" She asked, dumbfounded.

He raised an eyebrow. "Cause you're part of the group, which basically makes you family. Even if you're new. Besides, you gave your anchor to me. I'm responsible for you. I wanna know more about you. But right now, I'm on the enemy team." He smiled, securing one more strap and stepping back. "Protect your base, and try to hit Lew, Vivi and me more than Mystery, he's on your side."

Callie clamped her mouth shut, nodding reluctantly and drifting back to where Mystery was waiting by the door leading out of the vesting room.

"Why doesn't Lewis have a vest?" Vivi called from her door, peering over at Arthur and Lewis.

"You'll see." Lewis grinned at her. "Focus on your own base."

"Oh who cares about bases? You two are going down!" Vivi smirked as the alarms went off, and she plunged through her door.

"Ready?" Lewis asked.

"Ready." Arthur nodded. Lewis slipped into Arthur's body, and they dove through their door.

Callie turned to Mystery, who opened the door and limped stiffly through. "You can't run, and this is the first time I've played this game. How are we supposed to win?"

"Strategy, Callie. I say we lose the first round on purpose." He hooked his gun to his vest and limped on, taking a shot from Vivi as she passed. "That way we get the lay of the labyrinth and what might be some good spots to stake out for me. You have the advantage of mobility, so you may be our offense."

Callie's mouth closed tighter and she nodded, following.

"You're holding back some sarcastic remark, aren't you?" He asked as Arthur tore past in the other direction, pink flames at his heels.

"Yes."

"Well." He took a deep breath. "Thank you for restraining yourself. It is appreciated."

Callie shot him a narrow look, then drifted ahead of him. "Maybe I should search half and you should search half. That way you can spare your leg."

Mystery nodded, making a left turn. "Sounds wise. Keep an eye out for a spot I can snipe from."

….

It took two full rounds for Callie and Mystery to map the labyrinth. Vivi dominated the first round, but by the end of the second, Arthur and Lewis had managed to pull even with her point score.

During the third round, Mystery stationed himself in a spot Callie had pointed out to him. It was a clever little nook where he could see opponents running by, but they couldn't see him until they tried to shoot the person they were chasing and found themselves unable to. Callie stayed in the shadows, listening hard for footsteps and trailing Vivi for easy points.

"She's so competitive she doesn't even notice she's being trailed." She confided to Mystery in between rounds. "Doesn't she know Arthur and Lewis can hear her war cry?"

"Everyone can hear her war cry, she doesn't care." Mystery snorted. "That's her style. Have you seen Arthur run? Her tactics work."

By the last round of the evening, Vivi and Arthur were both dripping with sweat. Mystery and Callie managed to hold their own for the last two rounds, closing the point gap between themselves and the humans.

"Not bad for first-timers!" Arthur plopped into the passenger's seat, wiping his forehead. "So, favorite moment of the night everyone? Personally I liked laying pink fire tracks. We need to do that more often, Lewis."

"Mine was catching Vivi from behind when she was sure she was on our heels." Lewis grinned.

"I liked being number one all night." Vivi snickered.

"I liked the part where the dog tried to catch up with Arthur and fell." Callie said mildly.

"Really? I liked the part where Callie forgot which end of the gun to use and shot herself for a whole round." Mystery returned.

"Sounds like you two almost had fun together maybe?"

"Don't get your hopes up Arthur." Mystery rolled his eyes. "It's still just barely toleration."

"For toleration, however, you were a fairly tolerable teammate." She wiggled free of the cloak as Vivi started the van. Mystery shot a startled look at her, but she turned toward the sword they'd left in the van. "If Vivi is driving I bid you all goodnight." She slipped into the gem.

"Now that is unfair!" Mystery protested. "She can get away from it and I can't!"

"I'm not angry! Good grief you all act like I'm some kind of mad toilet-shredder any time I'm behind the wheel."

"Just keep your eyes on the road and you'll be fine." Lewis said from just behind her seat, landing a kiss on the back of her neck.

"Well that's not helpful." She blushed, pulling out of the lot. "Good game tonight guys, let's do it again soon."

The gem in the sword flickered slightly, and Mystery's eye slid over toward it.

_Dog. Once Arthur sleeps, I would like to speak with you. I am ready to trade some questions with you._


	13. What Child is This?

I wait for Arthur to fall asleep, watching his breathing settle into a restful pattern. I nose the side of his head gently, checking his surface dreams for dark imagery. None tonight, he should sleep soundly. I turn, padding on four paws out of the house. The gentle swoosh of a water spirit gliding through the air follows me.

She opens the door for me, and as I pass through I shed my smallest form, expanding to full size. I stretch in the middle of the street, my tails swirling through the air. It feels glorious, but I must be careful. Remaining unseen will be easier than erasing individual memories of those who see me. I call up the heavier cloaking magic I have retrieved from my memories. Now there will be no sign of my passing, save a brisk breeze. With a leap, I launch down the street, silent as a shadow, exulting in my speed. My other forms are made frail by the lost limb, hampered by pain. In this form, my strength surpasses the pain, and it is as if I am whole.

Sometimes I forget how much I enjoyed running.

Too soon, I come to the forest at the edge of town. I slow, pausing a moment to pick my way carefully between the trees. It is several minutes before I finally stop at the base of a particularly sturdy oak, settling my body under it and folding my forepaws as I turn to the cloaked figure that has trailed my every leap and bound.

She sheds the cloak, hanging it gently over a branch, and for a moment I wonder if she thinks of it the same way I think of my prosthetic. Something that Arthur made to ease our way in the human world, a gift to be treasured.

"You are going to have questions I will not answer." She starts, not making eye contact. I bristle at her arrogance, as she continues as if there will not be question that _I_ will not want to answer. "So it would be best if we both state our questions, and if they are both agreeable we can move on to the answers."

 _I will have patience tonight if it kills me,_ I swear, and nod to her.

"What is your first question?" She asks, addressing a nearby tree.

That isn't hard. I return to the question she refused to answer before. "How do you know Merlin?"

And her question is the same. "When was the last time you saw Merlin?"

I nod. I am agreeable to that. "I saw him last shortly before the queen was denounced. He was troubled about something. I'd never seen him so disturbed. He'd come to see Arthur, but Arthur would see no one. He already knew his wife loved another, and he'd secluded himself, even shutting me out. I suppose you were with him in his chamber. Then Merlin left, and I never saw him again."

Callie traces a tendril down the bark of the tree. "The answer is, I once saved Merlin's life. That is how I came to know him."

My ears turn back as I mull this over. I have never known much about Merlin, save that he was more powerful than I somehow, and that he seemed to have chosen to watch over the line of Arthur for some reason. If Callie had saved his life, he had likely been drowning at some point. But how could someone as powerful as him allow himself to drown?

I pick my words carefully, as she is choosing to be less descriptive than I. "What is the story of you saving his life?"

She glares at me balefully, and I add, "It is difficult for me to see someone as powerful as Merlin allowing himself to drown."

Her eyes drop to the ground, and she nearly spits her question. "How am I supposed to trust you?"

I start as I realize this is not an accusation. The tone is bitter, but there is a legitimate question she has presented. I lay my snout across my forepaws, pondering the problem.

"I don't suppose you can force yourself." I say quietly. "You've seen what you've seen, and I can't change what you've seen." _I would if I could._ "But perhaps if you continue to watch me and see that I am different, that would help. Accepting what you see would be even more helpful." I pause, the sarcasm is slipping back in. I strain to remove it. "I know that I am dangerous, Callie. And if I ever lost my way again, I would fully expect you to do whatever it takes to defend Arthur. But for now… he is my reminder that there is better to be had. And that is why I will not lose him."

She is looking at me. She is actually looking me in the eyes. It's the first time I've seen her eyes straight on when they are not filled with anger, and there is some great sorrow swirling there that I cannot deduce.

After a few moments of silence, I repeat my question. "What is the story of you saving Merlin's life?"

Her eyes return to the ground. "His mother brought him as an infant to the shores of my lake. A changeling, she swore aloud, trying to convince herself. No one in her family had hair like his, and the birthmark on his face? He must be a Changeling. So she cast him into my lake. And when I rose up and caught him, she screeched that she was right and fled."

My head comes up, eyes fixing on Callie. No human could possess the magic that Merlin had without dire physical consequences, unless they were raised in it from childhood. Callie possessed more magic than I, though her kind seldom used it. "Did you raise Merlin?" I breathe, her sudden concern for Merlin's well-being clicking into place.

She shuts her eyes. "You said if you ever lost your way 'again'. What do you mean by that?"

"I retract my question, it is obvious you raised Merlin. My question is now, _why_ did you raise Merlin? Obviously he wasn't the first infant thrown into your waters, and you said water spirits never allow an infant to drown if they were about." She reluctantly dips her head, and I puff my cheeks slightly, returning to her question.

"If I lost my way again." I frown, my ears suddenly pinned back hard. I reach back for the memory of what happened, but even humans have difficulty collecting memories from their short span, and I have lived for generations. I dig for the point where I lost my way… and why did I say that I lost my way? Why did I use that particular phrase? It sprung easily to my lips, but I could have said 'If I became a mad, ravaging spirit all of a sudden.' There is a dull throb behind my eyes and I grimace, shaking my head. "Callie… I'm not trying to dodge the question, but I cannot recall right now. I don't know why I said that." I trail off, slightly bothered by my inability to remember something so crucial.

"Then answer me this, why did you always look through me?" She presses. "I saw you every day, and toward the end Arthur summoned me in war to slay his enemies, and you passed me like you could not see me."

My blood runs cold. So. She was not only in the sword, but physically manifest at times, and _still_ I had not seen her. I swallow hard. "Callie… I never once saw you… or sensed you… and ever since I have learned the nature of Excalibur, this has troubled me. And now you are saying you were right beside me…" My claws dig into the ground. "Callie I swear I never saw you." I'm alarmed at how plaintive my voice is, but I am afraid. Something is terribly wrong.

She is disturbed by this news as well, I can see it in her face, but neither of us know what the cause is. So she answers my question. "I didn't take them all in." She twists and coils her arms. "Most of them I gave fins or flippers… selkies and merpeople, they are called now. I taught them to swim, and sent them to my brothers and sisters in the ocean where they could live far away from the humans that tried to kill them." Her arms twist again. "But I was alone. I couldn't leave the lake… I wanted to make sure nobody died there. It was lonely. I wanted someone there."

I should not be surprised by the simplicity of her answer. I really shouldn't be, it sounds just like a water spirit. Naive, innocent, with a complete disregard for potential consequences. But that's not how I have ever seen Callie, so I am slightly stunned by her confession.

"Well that answers where his godlike powers came from." I sigh. "Do you have more questions? I could continue all night."

"Why do you wear glasses?" She peers at me strangely. "Why do you need them? Glasses are a fairly recent human invention."

I ready to answer when the throbbing becomes a splitting headache that stabs behind my eyes. I clench my teeth, growling softly. "I don't… I don't think…"

"Why do you wear glasses?" Her voice pitches up.

Is that hostility I hear? What right does _she_ have to be hostile? What is so important about the glasses anyway. "I've always had them." I raise a forepaw, scrubbing my face with the side of it. "I don't…. aahhh…" I grimace. It must have been the exertion earlier. I must be tired. Perhaps I can find her answer later, along with the other answer I couldn't find. What was the question?

She turns away. "I have no more questions for you."

"But I answered you one!" I protest, thrusting out a paw. "Mostly… You have to answer one more of mine!"

"What?" She asks, hanging there, poised to flee.

I try to find an important question. My thoughts are scrambled. What do I want to know? "You… you lived in the lake once… like a regular water spirit… and then Excalibur… why were you in Exalibur?"

She quivers, ripples arcing through her body as her tail twists violently. "Because Merlin bound me there."

She is shooting off even as I stand to my feet to call her back. But I lie down again. My eyes hurt, and she would never answer all the questions I have now. I can tell she barely answered that one.

My eyes hurt. I curl in on myself, resting my head on my tails. I will return in the morning. For now, I need to sleep. When did I last rest? Recalling forgotten spells that have fallen into disuse is painstaking work. Rest is what I need. Arthur will be safe, Callie will watch over him...


	14. Forcing Her Hand

"Are you sure about this Arthur?" Vivi gripped the spine of the book she'd brought, all but wringing its worn spine. "We could be making a big mistake. What if it costs them? We don't know all the details."

"That's just it Viv, we don't, and I can't have that anymore." Arthur perched on an upright tire. "What Lew heard last night seals it. Mystery's not hiding stuff, but something's wrong and I need ALL our heads together, and that means I can't have Callie hiding stuff. We have to force her hand."

Lewis paced back and forth between them, his hair flaring off and on. His Deadbeats were posted around the perimeter, keeping watch for the spirits. He'd woken Vivi and Arthur in the dead of night, calling a meeting at Lance's shop. Arthur had left a note for Callie that he'd been called in for a mechanical emergency and that she should stay behind. Once they'd gathered, Lewis had proceeded to relay the conversation he'd just witnessed between Callie and Mystery.

"Guess when we need a conversation monitored we send you and never the Deadbeats." Arthur muttered. "You're sure they didn't see you?"

"They didn't even know I was there," Lewis assured him.

"I don't think Mystery would care, but Callie…" He rubbed his eyes. "You know what all this sounds like, right Vivi? Between this conversation and the one you told me you had with her… and seeing that other water spirit… all the signs point to it."

"But Mystery doesn't think it's possible, and he's gotta know more about it than us." Vivi's knuckles were white on the book. "She can't be, Squire."

"Connect the dots Vivi. I know you don't want to, and I don't either, but we have to look at reality if we have a shot of helping either of them. There's one way we can know for sure even without her giving a straight answer, and maybe then we'll get more out of her. Who knows, maybe she's just scared." He looked down at his hands, lacing his fingers together. "Maybe she thinks we won't accept her, or that I'll throw her back in the lake too. Maybe we can show her that's not the case."

"And maybe she'll show a side we aren't able to handle." Lewis stood next to him. "I hope you know I don't stand a chance against Mystery, and by his accounts Mystery doesn't stand a chance against Callie, so what makes you think either of us will be able to help you if this doesn't go the way you hope it will?"

"You won't have to. She bound her free will to me. I don't like the idea much, but right now I can keep her contained if I need to. Still, we should take this out of town. I have no idea what's going to happen, and it would be good if we're totally alone for this. Witnesses are a pain to deal with."

"I think that's my line." Lewis kicked Arthur's leg lightly.

"Callie's been teaching me to harness energy from other sources to cast spells without draining myself." Vivi spoke at a subdued volume. "I'll just tell her I want to show off for Squire and Lew, and Squire you can bring Mystery."

"If you're really sure, Arthur?" Lewis asked, and Arthur nodded reluctantly. "Then I can take it from there, and we'll know for sure."

"Let's aim for after work. In the meantime, Vivi if you can get your hands on any books about Kitsunes ASAP, it's long overdue. We need to start digging."

"I'm on it." Vivi nodded. "Lew, if it's a ways away, I'll give you the group card. I'll need you to get it fast for me."

Lewis nodded. Arthur hadn't looked up from his hands. Vivi walked over, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey. I don't like it Squire, but you're probably right. We need to be on the same page if something's happening to Mystery. I think… you're making the right call."

"I hope so." He said quietly. "Cause if this goes the way I think it will, Callie's going to be in a world of hurt."

….

Just after five that day, Arthur wiped the worst of the grease and oil off his arms and face with a rag and returned to the house. He passed Mystery sleeping deeply on the couch and retrieved Excalibur from his room, buckling it around his waist. His hand closed around the hilt gently, and his thumb touched the gem.

 _I'm sorry,_ he thought, _But I'll show you. I'll prove to you I'm not the same as him. I'll take care of you._

Turning, he headed for the front door, ruffling Mystery's ears on the way out. "Hey sleepyhead. We're going for a walk, come with." He managed a grin. "No leash laws in a small town, so catch up when you're not so groggy."

He barely made it down the porch before he heard Mystery's claws clicking across the wood, and a disgruntled _woof_ indicating his displeasure at the method of being woken. Arthur didn't respond. One hand was on the back of his neck, rubbing as he continued turning the upcoming situation over and over his head.

Callie would be near Vivi probably, coaching her. Lew would be playing up the adoration angle, getting close and flirting. Vivi would "lose control" of one of her spells, sending it toward Arthur. Callie and Mystery would both try and divert it, and Lewis would add the finishing touch.

_Please, Callie…_

"Arthur?" Mystery's touch on his elbow startled him out of his thoughts. He hadn't noticed Mystery transforming. "You seem troubled."

"Yeah. Don't worry about it buddy. Just a lot on my mind today."

He could feel Mystery measuring him. "If it's about Callie and myself, we are on rather decent speaking terms. We have been working together without incident."

"I know Mystery. You've been doing great." Arthur rubbed the back of his neck again.

"But you're still worried."

Arthur didn't answer, and Mystery sighed. "Arthur, I don't know how much more you expect of us."

"What do you think of Callie?" Arthur changed the topic as they cleared the town line.

"I think she's a water spirit. I think she's hiding things. I think she's unreliable because of that."

"Mhmm." Arthur grunted, aiming for the location Vivi had described to him.

"Why, what do you think of Callie?"

The skin on the nape of his neck was starting to hurt. Arthur shoved his hand in his pocket. "I'll answer you later. For now, Vivi wants to show off her new skills. Think she can handle it?"

Mystery snorted, warming more to this topic. "She's Vivi. She's clever enough to handle any new skill. I'm sure she'll top Morgause in talent given enough time."

Arthur nodded, lapsing into silence as he plodded on. Once they were far enough from the town, Mystery shifted to Kitsune. Arthur made a mental note to try and figure out how to make Mystery's prosthetic less painful. Mystery shifted to his true form every chance he got, and the only reason Arthur could get from him was that it hurt less.

He caught sight of a flash of blue and angled in that direction. His stomach twisted as they drew closer, Mystery padding unsuspecting next to him. He could see Vivi, wide-stanced and arms outstretched, palms cupping soft balls of blue flame that flared out like flowers. Lewis floated nearby, a silly grin on his face, making flaming pink hearts over her flowers. Callie hovered on the other side of Vivi, trying to shoo Lewis away and failing. Arthur noticed the grass around Vivi's feet was brown and withered. He would have to ask her about that later.

"Hey Vivi!" He called, one hand tightening on Excalibur as Vivi turned to him. This was it.

"Squire!" She beamed. "Check it out, Lew and I can flame together!" She tilted her hands as if to show him the flaming flowers and hearts, when Lewis nudged her off balance. She tilted forward, flailing to catch herself and sending two blasts of blue flame straight at Arthur.

Callie and Lewis both dove after the flames, arms outstretched to catch them. Mystery shoved Arthur aside, presenting his own hide to catch the stray flames. Callie slowed as the danger to Arthur vanished, but Lewis bowled into her. Callie, Lewis, and the flames all hit Mystery, one after the other.

Mystery's body went utterly stiff, his tails sticking straight out behind him like arrows. Lewis peeled himself away from them, stammering apologies and trying to relight his now barren skull, doused by Callie in the collision.

Callie recoiled from Mystery, her eyes wide, tail twitching frantically as Mystery turned his head slowly toward her, his eyes narrowing to harsh slits.

"I didn't feel anything." He spoke through his teeth, his lips drawing back in a snarl as he advanced. "That should have burned. That should have felt like being flayed by a thousand knives and burned by the sun, but I felt _nothing._ "

"I burned!" Callie wailed. "It hurt, you're dark! You burned me!"

" _LIAR!_ " Mystery roared. "I felt NOTHING. You felt NOTHING. You're just as dark as me!"

"NO!" Callie screamed. "NO! I'M NOT! NEVER!"

"From the start you refused contact with me! Looked down on me! Dug up my past and hurled it in my face! _Refused to heal me_ because I was dark and you were not! I should have known! This is why you don't act like the others!" He slashed at the ground with his claws. "This is why your own kind REFUSED you!"

Callie turned, darting away as fast as she could. Shutting his eyes, Arthur drew Excalibur, shouting, "Callie come back!"

Abruptly she veered, turning back with a desperate wail, hurling herself at the ground as she dragged along it, plowing a little furrow all the way back to Arthur's feet.

"It's time to talk." Arthur drove the sword into the ground. "Callie, what haven't you told us?"

As the words left his mouth, the ground around him opened up in great fissures, and water shot toward the sky in great geysers as Callie wrapped her arms around herself, shrieking, "I AM NOT DARK! I AM NOT STAINED! I DID NOTHING WRONG!" Her tail lashed the ground, leaving deep trenches wherever it landed. Arthur stayed where he was, forcing himself not to flinch. "IT WAS NOT MY FAULT! I DID NOTHING WRONG, I AM NOT STAINED!"

"Stained by what?" Arthur asked, kneeling down by the flailing spirit. He could see Lewis had guided Vivi away from the geysers, but Mystery remained at Arthur's side, glowering hatefully down. Arthur reached out a hand, holding it inches over Callie's head. "By blood?"

Callie gave a wrenching cry, and the geysers gave out, the remaining water flooding around them to create a vast puddle inches deep.

"It's not hard to figure out, Callie." Arthur's hand came down on her head gently. "You're bound to a sword. I don't know why you're bound to a sword… and maybe you didn't even know what a sword was at first. But you won't teach me how to attack with it. He used it, didn't he? King Arthur."

His only answer was incoherent weeping. Gingerly he pulled the distraught water spirit into his lap, cradling her. "I'm not sending you off, Callie. I don't know why you're hiding everything from us, but we need to know what's going on. I'm not going to send you away Callie. I promised I'd take care of you when you gave me Excalibur, and I'm going to keep that promise no matter what."

Callie raised her eyes to Arthur's, opening her mouth and trying to gasp out a defense, "I didn't… I didn't want.. I didn't choose… I…"

Arthur held her securely. "I get it. You were forced to do things you didn't want to do. Believe me, I know. But it's not going to go away, you have to look at it. Talk to me."

Callie shut her eyes, clutching Arthur's arms for a moment, before melting away from him. He watched as her form dissolved into the puddle all around.

"Callie?" He jerked his head around, searching for her.

"Watch." Mystery's voice was hard as he gestured to the puddle. As Arthur obeyed, images flickered in the water. A small, peaceful lake. A shore dotted by trees and shrubs. And a water spirit hovering over the surface of the lake, skimming across the surface like a bird and laughing.


	15. Joy Divided

A water spirit is dancing over the surface of a lake in the image splayed across the puddle. She is ducking and weaving, darting and zipping and gods, she is _singing_ and my first thought is that this cannot be Callie. But it has to be, she is right there. I can see her. I know Arthur cannot, not when she is within her element, but I can see where she is, huddled just below the surface of the puddle, casting a Seer spell to show what she cannot say.

The water spirit warbles, skimming the surface of her lake and dipping in and out like a fish, leaping and laughing. She pauses, turning her body aside as the bushes rustle. She grins, diving into the bushes and tumbling out the other side wrapped around a young boy. The boy shrieks with laughter as she tickles him, rolling around and around before releasing him.

"That should teach you not to try and hide from me. I can find you anywhere." She giggles, brushing fiery red hair away from his face.

"Someday I'll hide better than you can find!" The boy laughs. "I'll get better at this, just watch."

The image shifts, and I see the boy growing. He has, on the side of his face, a large brown mark that covers most of the right side. This mark and this hair I have only ever seen on Merlin. I see the boy growing up, the time passing in a blur. Soaked in magic from nearly the beginning of his life, he learns by watching Callie's movements and actions, beginning by manipulating only water. Soon he turns in curiosity to earth, plants, even stone and winds. He can call forth a blooming vine and form stones into a tower without touching one himself. He can call the winds to lift him to the sky, and hold air about his head to plunge the lake and swim with Callie to his heart's content.

I see mothers come to her shores, leaving their sons and daughters in the hopes that their "true" children will return to them. Not one does Callie let drown, but neither does she keep them. She takes them to herself and remakes their bodies, giving them fins or flippers. I have never seen a selkie or a mermaid, and I was not sure whether they existed or not. But now I know.

The child the Ghostly Mother had taken was never in any danger. But had we failed to keep her from the waters, her family would never have seen her again.

I clamp my teeth against my anger as I watch Merlin grow in magic and strength. So. She is liar. Hypocrite. Failure. And the cause of my binding. If not for her, Merlin would not have had the strength to stop me.

My ears flatten. I needed to be stopped. I know this now. But I am still angry. It is just like a water spirit. Never considering the consequences of their actions.

As Merlin grows, I see him come and go from the lake. Callie never seems to mind. She is perfectly content that he is safe and cannot be harmed, but every time he returns he has strange things to tell her. He has met his own kind, and they are not full of joy. Why are they not full of joy, he asks her?

She cannot answer. Why someone would not be full of joy is beyond her comprehension. So Merlin seeks answers elsewhere. He vanishes for longer and longer periods of time, and Callie begins to waver in her song, dance a little less, and search the horizon for his returning form more and more often.

One day he returns and seats himself on the bank, cross-legged. She wraps herself around him and trumpets jubilantly, "You're back! You were gone for so long this time, days and days. Tell me everything! What did you see? Who did you talk to? What did you do? Did you learn new magic?"

His face is troubled. "I've seen terrible things. I've seen small bones washed up on riverbanks where there is no water spirit living. I've seen famine and plague visit the land with no cause or reason and leave just as quickly. I've seen brothers turn on each other, killing for passion, envy, hate. I've seen the remains of women and children ravaged and slaughtered by passing bandits or madmen."

Callie's smile is gone. "I do not understand. What do you mean by these things? What are bones, famine, ravaging? What does it mean to be slaughtered? Where is the laughter hiding? I cannot see it in your eyes."

He lifts his face to hers, and a deep sigh empties out of him. "Nimue, pray you never know these things."

Nimue? Who is Nimue? Did Callie have another name?

Merlin spends much of his time now learning Callie's healing arts, and she shows him how she bind up the wounds of animals that crawl to her lake to quench their thirst as her example. He studies her motions and mimics them until he is able to perform minor healings himself, then turns to experiment on a larger scale.

Merlin comes and goes more frequently, and Callie begins to do something strange. Her lake is larger than the surface appears, and she spreads herself through the underground portions and listens to the land above. She hears the angry shouts. She hears the fearful cries. She hears the weeping. She listens to their words, and though she doesn't understand everything, she understands that joy is hard to come by in the land near her little lake.

When Merlin next comes, she does not greet him with a laugh, but with a silent embrace. She listens to all he has seen and done again. There is a young boy, she learns, that he has been speaking with. He has great promise, perhaps he will be able to lead the land into better times. One day, he could even make a great King.

"What is a King?" Callie asks.

"A King is someone who takes care of all the people in the land. He tells them how to stay safe, and they obey him so he will protect them."

"Does a King protect them from the not-joy?"

"He tries. He can't stop it all, nobody can, but he tries."

"Is there a King now?"

"Yes. But this boy will be a better King. I'm sure of it."

"Will you help him?"

"I will try."

Callie nods. "It is good what you do. Tell me more about him when you come back."

And Merlin leaves and returns again and again, always with some new story of Arthur. Yesterday he learned how to ride a horse. Last week he pulled an enchanted sword from a stone, Merlin practically glows. This is a sure sign he will lead the country out of its dark times. He has been crowned King, and he is so confused, Merlin confides, but he will find his way.

Callie hears these stories over the years as Arthur grows into a man and assumes the throne. Mixed in are tales of a darkness creeping across the land like a sickness, and I tuck my tails in shame at the hard glint in her eye whenever she hears of the "not-joy".

"Merlin," she says one day, rising up to command his attention, "I want to help this Arthur also."

Merlin smiles tenderly. "It is well thought, Nimue, but you cannot leave your lake."

"That is not true," She counters, "I know it can be done, and you can do it for me." She vanishes into the lake and returns to the surface, bearing a moss-covered object. "Someone abandoned this here long ago, I don't know what it is, but it is human-made."

Frowning, Merlin takes the object and wipes away the moss. He sucks in a breath, dropping it to the bank. "Nimue, you do not know what you are asking."

"Yes I do!" She insists. "Bind me to this, Merlin. It will allow me to leave the lake. Let me go to the King and help him. Let me help him heal the land. I hear so many unhappy sounds from my lake, I want to heal them. Let me, Merlin. Bind me to this, so I can go to the King."

"No." He stands. "I won't do this. I can't. You don't understand."

Callie's eyes flash. "Merlin, do it! If you do not, I will find someone else to do it! I will go to the King with or without you!"

Merlin takes a step back, stricken. "Nimue, you can't understand what you ask-"

She grabs the object from the bank-a plain, undecorated sword-and grips it tightly. "No more talking! Bind me now, before I find someone else!"

"Give me time!" He pleads. "Let me find something else at least, don't ask me to bind you to that!"

"Why? Will you make me more useful to the King?" He hesitates, and she pounces. "Is THIS something that is useful to a King? It is, isn't it?" She is elated. "No, this and no other object."

"Let me at least explain-"

"NOW Merlin!"

Merlin lowers his face into his hands for a moment. When he lifts his face, she ripples slightly. I can see there is uncertainty in her face at the gravity on Merlin's.

"You are sure?" He begs her one last time, and she nods her head. He raises his hands, his mouth pressed firmly shut. As his fingers crook, wind and water rise to whip about Callie and the sword. Nearby vines stretch toward her from the trees they cling to. Earth and rock encircle her. Her form begins to ripple harder, and her eyes widen. His fingers twist apart in different directions, and an unearthly screech rends the air.

I cannot believe what I see before me. The sword flips around, slicing through Callie and rending her in two. I see the parts each for only a second before they rejoin as one, and I have seen the two forms of Callie side by side. She rejoins to herself, trembling now. She has likely never experienced pain in her whole existence, and now she has been torn. The sword has a new blue gem set in the pommel, and Merlin calls it to his hand.

"Merlin," her voice is frailer, "What happened? Why did that happen? I don't like this."

He holds the sword in his hands, his eyes moist. "You bound yourself to an object. This… this object is what you will become like. More and more, as time goes on."

"Then… then I will be useful to the King!" She droops, floundering to the shore and huddling up against the bank, still shivering. "That is a good thing."

Merlin shuts his eyes, and I see a tear trail down his cheek. "What is your name?"

"My name?" She murmurs.

"Tell me your name, I want to hear it."

"Excalibur." She blinks, putting a hand to her mouth in shock. "I mean, Excalibur. I mean… I mean… Excalibur!" She puts both hands to her mouth in horror. "Merlin!"

"You are not your own." He says quietly. "That is the name of the sword." He places a hand over the gem, his palm glowing softly at the contact. "But I give you this; your gift of healing is yours, and yours alone. No one can command it of you, and you may do with it what you will."

"Ex...call….ie…." She grasps at that tiny straw of freedom. "Call...ie…"

Merlin pulls the sword close to his chest, hiding his face from her. "Callie. I will bring the King to meet you. If this is really what you want to do, I will bring him to you. Do not hand him the sword, let him pick it up. Wait here, I will bring the King…"

I shut my eyes with a bitter laugh. I already know where the story is going. If she once was so foolish and naive as to wish for a binding, she was foolish and naive enough to ignore Merlin and give her anchor as a gift.


	16. First Blood

Am I dreaming? I want to stop dreaming. I want it to stop. This dream hurts. But he knows. Arthur knows, and Arthur commands that I tell him, and I cannot stop.

I am waiting for the King, and I am happy. I am shaken by the terrible feeling I had when the sword passed through me, but it is over, and surely will never happen again. I will be useful to the King, and I will help the King make the land happy again.

There is Merlin. He is bringing with him a man not much younger than him. Their lives are so short, Merlin is already grown. Yesterday I was washing him clean, and now he washes himself. I am so proud of Merlin, he is a wonderful powerful person, and he will do so much good. I am happy I kept this one. It was so lonely.

The young man must be Arthur. King Arthur, Merlin told me how to address him. Sire? Sire. He is saying something to Merlin. His face is tired, but there's a light in his eyes. He is asking Merlin why he is here. Oh, it is time!

I rise from the lake, twirling in greeting. "Sire-King-Arthur it is good that you have come, welcome!"

He has fallen down. Is that normal? He does not seem injured, but his mouth is open. I hover closer, and he scoots back. I pause, glancing to Merlin. Merlin smiles a little, nodding at me. Encouraged, I scoop up my anchor and approach the Sire-King. "Sire-King I have a present for you, please take this and do good for the land!"

"Callie!" I look up at Merlin, and there is a terrible look on his face. What is it? Why so much unhappiness? What have I done wrong?

The anchor leaves my hands, and the Sire looks at it. "A most ordinary sword," he remarks. Is that what it is, Ordinary Sword? Merlin did not tell me what it was.

I beam. "Yes, take the Ordinary Sword home with you, and I will come also. I am Excalibur-Callie. I will help you bring joy to your land again, and we can be rid of the crying."

Merlin kneels by the king and grabs the wrist of the hand that holds the sword. "Sire," his voice is low and urgent. "You must swear to me something. Please. On everything I have ever taught you, promise me this one thing. Swear you will never lift this sword in violence. May she be a decorative sword, or a symbol, but never a sword in use. Promise me."

Arthur looks at Merlin oddly. "What an unusual question… but I suppose, if I must not, I will not then."

Merlin releasing a breath and nods, releasing Arthur. "Then let us return."

I find I can tuck myself into the little shiny gem in the Ordinary Sword. It feels strange leaving my lake, and for a moment I worry about the children. But I needn't worry. Now that I am with the King, we can stop the mothers from leaving their children by the water.

The Sire-King brings me home and shows me to My-Beautiful-Bride. She calls herself another name, but the name he has for her is so full of love I can see it spilling from every corner of his being, and I can only see her as My-Beautiful-Bride. And her face when she turns it to him has a calm love, but one that runs deep, like a mighty branching river. And here, I know that they can make joy happen for others, because there is so much between them they cannot help but spread it everywhere.

The Sire-King commands a tapestry of his meeting with me, and I laugh a little. Who is the strange woman in the tapestry? I realize he enjoys making bigger stories than what happened, and I laugh from the Ordinary Sword as he boasts about the beautiful woman who waltzed across the surface of the lake and bestowed an enchanted sword on him.

He calls me forth sometimes, he asks me how it is I can help. I tell him of the mothers leaving their children in the water. I tell him of the crying I hear through the ground. I tell him of the sickness in the land Merlin speaks to me of, and how I want to undo the hurts. I tell him about the little animals, sick and wounded, and how I can make the wounds go away.

"Show me!" He says in excitement, turning and slicing his hand on the Ordinary Sword.

Blood.

I cry out, curling in on myself. I have done something terribly wrong. I have _created_ a wound.

Arthur is kneeling by me in concern. All I can see is his hand. I seize his hand and pass my own over the wound, coaxing the skin closed. I cling to his hand, shaking. "Sire-King, I am so sorry, I did not mean to, I am so sorry, please Sire-King forgive me!"

His face is strange to me. He gathers me into his arms. "Forgive me, Excalibur. I did not understand."

He asks me to stay inside the sword unless he calls for me. He doesn't know how to explain me to anyone, not even My-Beautiful-Bride. Merlin visits often, and I shimmer in greeting when he runs his hand over my hilt. His face is almost never smiling, and his eyes are wet, and I do not understand. Things are going well! I have warned the King, and he will do something.

One night I am watching over Sire and My-Beautiful-Bride. They hold each other close as they sleep. But something strange happens tonight, as a crow flies in through the window. The crow's eyes glow red, and it has two tails, and I am afraid. The crow is not a crow, I know this. It lands on the great headboard, perching just over My-Beautiful-Bride. It hops down to her pillow and opens its beak near her ear, whispering in a language that sounds like spikes of ice and thorny vines. I try to cry warning, but Sire's command binds me, I cannot leave the sword. I can only watch the crow sidle over to Arthur's pillow and spill the same foul speech into his ear. It cackles in its throat, then takes wing and soars out the window.

I watch, waiting and straining for daybreak with every fiber of my being. I must warn the King! But day breaks, and he wakes and kisses his Bride, and straps me to his waist.

And does not call on me.

I should not be alarmed, he sometimes goes for days without speaking with me, but I must warn him! But there is nothing I can do. I can only watch. Sire seems no different, and neither does his Bride. Perhaps the crow did nothing after all.

But it comes again the next night, and again I can do nothing. And I see My-Beautiful-Bride shift away from Sire, just a tiny bit, and Sire's face wrinkle just a little.

The crow comes every night for a week, and I am burning to warn Sire. I see My-Beautiful-Bride's eyes are more distant when Sire speaks to her. When Sire takes me to meet with his knights, his words are more measured, his eyes less trusting.

He finally calls me forth one day, and I open my mouth to warn him of the crow.

"Silence Callie. I must speak to you. It is an urgent matter."

My mouth is sealed. I can only listen as he holds my anchor, staring down at it. "Excalibur, do you know the purpose of a sword?"

I tense. I have learned the purpose of my anchor by listening to the knights brag, but Sire swore...

"Excalibur, we go to war." His mouth is a hard line. "There is rumor of an uprising against me."

I tear at my mouth, willing it to open.

"I'm sorry. I know you do not want to see war, but it is important." He kneels before me, taking my hands in his. "You have to understand, sometimes to make sure a greater number of people are safe and happy, some fewer people need to be unhappy. This way, there is more happiness than unhappiness. Do you understand?"

I do not understand. What is he talking about? Why would he say such a thing? Why hasn't he asked me to leave and spread the happiness? I would gladly do it, he only needs to release me to do so!

"Excalibur, I am sorry. But I am in need of you as you came to me. As a sword. I hope you will understand when you see our land after. It will be healed. It will be whole when the traitors are gone."

He sends me back into the sword, and I claw at my prison. Yes, it is my prison. I understand now. I understand, and I rail at myself. How could I have ignored Merlin? Why did I hand over my anchor? I am such a fool! I cannot even warn the King, cannot beg him not to do what he says, cannot even suggest another way!

The very next day he binds me to his waist and we leave the castle. And there are soldiers and knights all around, and they all have swords, and I am afraid. And then we face more soldiers and knights, but they wear different colors. And Sire pulls out my anchor and points me, and cries to his knights, "Strike them down!"

And something changes.

I spill out of the sword, but I am not myself. I am something colder, harder, angrier. I see the soldiers coming toward me, and I stretch out my hands. I spin aside from their swords, my fingers passing through their armor to pierce their bodies. I twirl to the side, my horns-I have horns-plunging into the side of another knight, cutting through chain link as though it is only woven twigs.

I am a blur. I am a whirl. I am a dance, and their corpses drop to my right and my left, behind and before me, and none can stop me.

"Excalibur!"

I freeze, my hand deep in the chest of a knight.

"Enough! Return!"

Sire's voice is shaking. Why is Sire's voice shaking? I am within the Ordinary Sword, and I stare out. And the field is covered in bodies. Bodies of those I have murdered.

Again I am clawing at my prison. _Sire, let me out! Let me heal them, they are all bleeding! I can heal them! I can seal their wounds, let me out!_ But he cannot hear me, or he chooses not to.

I watch as the battlefield shrinks into the distance. What have I done? What have I done? I have created not-joy. I have wounded. I have spilled blood.

_Merlin. Oh Merlin, please. Come back. I am sorry, I did not want this. Please, make it stop._

Make the dream stop.


	17. Never Again

I am livid. I am seething. I want to tear her to pieces, but I'd probably break my teeth against her power level.

_Liar._

_Hypocrite._

I swallow my anger, but it burns.

_How dare you. How dare you shove what I did in my face over and over. Look at you. You reek of blood, and then turn around and pretend nothing happened._

I am angry, but I am also ashamed. I am seeing it again, what I did. It was nowhere near as terrible as other things I had done before, but it is different. I became a part of this family, and I had wounded them.

After Callie's first taste of combat, the King has a problem. I can see him gathering his army about himself-he has hardly lost any, thanks to Callie-and asking what they have seen. To a man, they have all seen the water devil mow down the enemy. They praise him for the magic sword and declare him the mightiest leader indeed if he can command such a creature.

Unsure how else to proceed, Arthur allows them their talk. Word spreads that Arthur possesses a sword like none other, and that none can stand against him and live. Merlin comes soon after, and his face is like thunder.

"How could you?" He cries. "Give her to me! You have no right to her, you _violated_ her very nature!"

I see Arthur's face harden, and I know that hardness to be a result of my own words poisoning him against any who contradict him, or seek to check his power. "She is a sword, Merlin. You cannot expect a King to hold a sword as a useless tool. I am in need of her power. With her, I will hold my land in peace and prosperity, free from traitors. Do not reprimand me as if I am a child, Merlin. I am King."

"The mightiest King is a fool if he misuses a treasure! Return her to me, I may yet be able to undo the damage you have done!"

"You try my patience Merlin. This sword is mine, it was a gift to me, and I will use it as I see fit. Do not test me again."

Merlin stands there, staring at Arthur as if he has never seen him before. The gem in the sword is flickering madly, and his eyes dart to it.

"Let me speak with her at least. Let me see if there is anything I can do to ease her."

Arthur's face is closed, but Merlin begs him, "Please, Sire. She is my oldest friend."

Something shifts, ever so slightly in Arthur's face. Is that a flicker of shame I see? He turns away and walks out of the room, murmuring something. Callie spills out of the gem, huddling on the floor, a broken puddle of a spirit.

Merlin rushes to her, plunging his hands into her. "Nimue… Nimue…" He pours what he can into her. Peaceful memories, laughter from the past, images from the lake. She surges forward, clinging to his arms and weeping.

"Merlin forgive me. I'm sorry. I did not know. Take me away from here. Take it back. I cannot stay here. I cannot help him."

"It isn't so simple Nimue, you gave your will over to him. Until he releases you, you cannot separate from your anchor. And even if he did release you, I don't know what separating you from your anchor will do to you. I don't know if I can rejoin you to your lake."

Callie hides her face in his chest, his clothing instantly soaked as she trembles in his grasp. "Then you must warn the Sire. He will not listen to me. He is in danger."

"What do you know?" Merlin strokes her tenderly.

"There is a crow that is not a crow, with two tails and red eyes. It is foul, it speaks words of evil into the ears of the Sire and My-Beautiful-Bride. The Sire will not listen to me. I think the crow makes his heart hard."

Merlin breathed out slowly. "Nimue… thank you. I didn't know they were coming directly against the King."

"Who are they?" She quavered. "There is more than one?"

"Yes. They have been causing much of this land's pain." He cradles her gingerly. "Nimue, protect the King. This has gone far enough."

"Don't leave me! Merlin!" She pleads.

Merlin's grief runs down his face. "I have to. The King is in danger. He is a fool, but an honest fool. He has done an unforgivable thing, but he is still this land's best hope. We may yet be able to uproot the darkness in this land. Patience Nimue, I will return. I promise." He cups her face gently, placing a kiss on her head. "Do what you can."

And he leaves. I know where he has gone, and I cannot contain the growl.

There is a hand on my leg. It is Arthur's hand, and my ears lower in shame. I am angry at my binding, in spite of the good that came of it. I must focus on the good that came of it, or I will tear the countryside apart. Arthur. I must think of Arthur.

The King does not call on Callie. He keeps her in his chambers, leaving her there more often than not. He cannot so much as look at the sword without a flash of guilt. But one day he buckles her again, and leaves the room. He joins Guinevere and his knights in the great council room to welcome a new knight. He proclaims himself to be the perfect knight and offers his services to the great King Arthur, inspired by a dream from heaven he claims.

Oh gods. A dream, yes, but not from heaven.

I see Guinevere's eyes flash with recognition. She has had dreams as well, and they are all of the strangely alluring man she sees before her. And when his eyes meet hers, he shares her realization. And I am sick, seeing for the first time the meeting that I caused.

And before I know it, Merlin returns. It has been weeks since he stepped into Arthur's court, but he finally approaches the King, bearing a limp dog in his arms.

"I hardly have time to manage my court, Merlin, and now you burden me with a dog?" Arthur sighs.

"He is not a burden, Sire." Merlin sets me in Arthur's lap, and I see myself cringing, expecting Merlin to reveal my nature and call for my death. "He is a guardian. A loyal guardian of your line. Trust him, Arthur, as you would your sword. He will prove to be more than anyone expects. Even himself."

I see myself staring at Merlin in bewilderment. What is this strange grace, this merciful imprisonment? Why am I not dead?

_I still do not understand._

And the gem in Arthur's sword is burning with a cold, angry light. How I never saw it, how I never sensed it, I do not know. Merlin sees it though, and he repeats himself. "Trust him. His name is Mystery, because that is what he is. He will guard this line with his life, and may prove a surprising comfort to you Sire." His eyes returned to the King. "Your crown does not rest on your head with as much ease as it did. Sometimes trusting your secrets to ears that listen and a mouth that cannot speak is a healing."

Arthur inclines his head in acknowledgment and lifts my head to face him. "Hello then, Mystery. Welcome to my court."

And the gem burns in cold rage.

…..

I have never felt such an ice inside of me before. It is an ice that burns and freezes and tears apart all at once. I do not like it, but I cling to it. I want to take it and use it to destroy the creature sitting so calmly in Sire's lap. I want to make wounds all over him, make them deep, make them _bleed._

I shriek at myself. What is this? What are these thoughts? Why would I think such a thing? He deserves it, but I would never… why? Why?

And the days pass. And My-Beautiful-Bride has stopped sleeping in Sire's arms, and he is wounded.

And the weeks pass. And Sire-King begins to whisper to the dog, telling him he's seen the way My-Beautiful-Bride and the one he calls My-Brother have been looking at each other. But it can't be true. It can't be. The dog ducks his head, eyes shifting, but listens.

I hope the shame eats him alive.

Months pass. Sire avoids Merlin, and so I do not see Merlin. Oh Merlin, please. Come and destroy this creature, why did you make Sire trust him? He cannot be trusted, you don't understand what he did!

I see what he did. I see it when Sire cannot stand it anymore. He is brooding over a traitor in the dungeons, and the dog has left. And at his window there is a soft voice. It is a woman, a strange woman who is not My-Beautiful-Bride. But he takes her into his bed and he treats her as if she was, and pretends as if she were, and then sends her away as if she never existed in the first place.

And I know I will never, ever, ever forgive the dog.

And the years pass, and the King's land is slipping through his fingers, if his late night shouting at the walls are to be believed. I do not understand. The land is not his to own, but his to protect. Why has he not released me to protect the land, to bring happiness and healing?

Can I still do so? Or is that part of me gone forever?

Once again, he takes me up against his enemies and sends me against them. And when he returns me to the sword, he does not look me in the eyes, like he did not look the woman in the eyes when he sent her away. He cannot stand to see me. And the ice inside me grows.

The people begin to cry out against Sire. Some still believe he is a good King. Others mourn their brothers, their fathers, their sons who turned against him and lost their lives.

And through all this, the dog is there, watching. He is there in battle as well, fighting every bit as hard as a soldier and often sustaining wounds. The King does not see how quickly he heals, but I do. I would turn and kill him in battle, but Sire has only commanded me against the enemy soldiers, and the dog fights for Sire. And the dog does not so much as turn to see me.

And Merlin is denied entry when he next comes, demanding to see the King.

Years pass slowly. The dog becomes a favorite of the King while I am paraded around, but never spoken to. Sometimes he will give me a few words, try and explain what he is doing, but his words fade away. He knows. He _knows_.

A woman has joined his knights, but she is pretending to be a man. There is something about her, even the dog senses it. A darkness. It is she who drags My-Beautiful-Bride in by her hair, accusing her of terrible things with My-Brother. Sire's face does not move. He knows it is true. He has known it all along, but now everyone knows. They are calling for her execution, and his hand reaches for my hilt.

_NO!_

I scream with everything in me. This is My-Beautiful-Bride, he cannot mean it. He cannot mean to use me against her.

He must have heard me. His hand drops from the hilt, and he turns away, commanding her imprisonment. The dog looks sick. _Good._

I am brought out again and again, but not even I can save Sire's armies now. There are too many, they cover the hills like ants, and no matter how many I squash there are more.

_Squash? Ants? Oh gods Merlin save me…_

He takes me up and attacks the woman knight who now is his mortal enemy. I am kept within the sword, he wants to kill her by himself. My edges are sharp, and I slide through her body easily. I am used to this feeling now, being surrounded by soft tissues and warm blood, gasps and screams of pain as I tear flesh, but this one only laughs, and as I am pulled free, I see she has struck his head.

He is wounded. My Sire is wounded.

There is so much blood. Blood on me, blood on the ground, blood pouring from Sire's head.

"Callie," He speaks to me. My heart leaps. My Sire speaks to me! Will he have me heal the land now? Will he release me to heal?

_Can I still heal?_

"Heal me!" He rasps. "Callie, I am dying. Heal your King."

My hope grows cold. He will never let me heal the land. He will never ask me to bring joy to people. He will only bring me out against his enemies over and over.

I have not moved. I have moved on his every command since the day I gave him my anchor, but I do not move. Why do I not move?

"Callie! Heal me! Now!" He demands.

I do not move. I do not even flicker. He has taken all, he cannot have this too. This is mine. The only thing left that is mine.

"HEAL ME!" He screams, and when I do not respond, he hurls me away in a rage. He calls his knight over and commands him to cast me back into the lake. He makes sure the knight knows what lake, so I know how rejected I am. So I know how much my gift has been scorned.

The hurt is deep and the hurt is wide, but I am going home. I am going home where I should have stayed all along, I should never have left. I will stay there from now on and guard my shores, and take the children to safety and never look beyond my own shores again.

I sink into the lake, and as I do, I feel my obligation to Sire lifting. He has died, or passed beyond where he can ever reach me. Now my only binding is to this cursed sword.

I wriggle out of the sword, eager to feel the waters around me, to stir the muddy bottom and swim with the fish and feel alive again. I skim along the bottom, and I halt.

There are white things all along the bottom of the lake. They were not there before. What are the white things? I take one into my hands and stare at it.

_No._

I shoot to the surface, breaking into the air to see it in better light.

_NO!_

It is bones. A tiny skeleton hand, no larger than a sparrow's head. I drop it into the water and dive back the floor.

_I was not here._

Dozens of them, maybe hundreds. Bleached bones and skeletons all along the floor on every side of the lake, some just at the edge, some cast in farther.

_I was not here!_

I have failed all. I rise again from the lake and I hear a terrible screaming, but I don't know where it is coming from. The waters around me writhe, thrashing and beating the shores and the trees with my rage. The very ground quakes. Wind lashes the trees, driving their branches into a tossing frenzy.

"Never again!" The scream is talking. I don't know where it is coming from. "No one shall ever come near me again!"

And it is so. I find I am hidden. A great spell covers my whole lake. No one can enter, not ever again.

My rage is spent, and all that is left is grief. I have failed Merlin. Sire. My-Beautiful-Bride. All the children.

And it was my own fault.

I sink below the surface. I need not keep watch for children, no one will ever touch my waters again, and I will lie here forever.

And ever.

And ever.

And- "Um. L-lady… of the lake?"

_But no one can ever enter again! Unless… Sire has returned… to claim me…_

"I… uh… I think I need to talk to you."

_Not Sire… another…_


	18. Reminders

"THAT IS WHY YOU DIDN'T HEAL THE KING?"

Arthur recoiled from Mystery's snarl, staring up at the Kitsune whose face more resembled a monster's than the gentle protector he knew. His eyes were demon-red and his lips were drawn back so far Arthur could see every fang.

"BECAUSE HE DEMANDED IT OF YOU, BECAUSE HE DID WHAT ANY DYING MAN WOULD DO, YOU DID NOT HEAL HIM?"

The waters began to churn, and Callie's voice rose from the waters all around. "I will not be used to murder!"

"He trusted you!" Mystery clawed at the mud. "He trusted you and you betrayed him! Like everyone else!"

A great column of water rose and turned, frothing, toward Mystery. "You dare speak to me of betrayal and trust, you who poisoned his mind, his bride's mind, and fractured the land out from under his very feet! _And yet it was you he trusted most!_ "

Mystery crouched, a red haze seeping out from his eyes.

"He spoke to you! He treated you exactly as Merlin told him to! He confided everything to you, and I would wager if you could talk _he would have listened to you_. WHY?"

"Maybe because I'm not such a fool as to bind myself blindly to the human world!" Mystery's tails lashed the water. "A spirit would have to be raving mad or a foolish water spirit to actually wish for any kind of binding."

"Nobody told me!" She wailed.

"MERLIN TOLD YOU!" Mystery roared. "YOU SPEAK OF ARTHUR NOT LISTENING, YOU DID NOT LISTEN TO MERLIN! YOU DEMANDED OF THE MAN THAT HE BIND YOU, AND WHAT WAS HE TO DO? EVEN THEN HE GAVE YOU YOUR OWN WILL IF YOU JUST LET THE KING PICK UP THE SWORD!"

The column of water collapsed into the water, now frothing in miniature waves all across the tiny lake. Mystery reared back and struck the water with both paws. "You imbecile! You blind naive fool! You could have kept his choices in check if you'd just let him take the sword! You never hand your free will over to a human! They never understand the extent of the choices they make, they make mistakes, and handing over yourself as a power source is the stupidest thing you could ever-"

"Enough Mystery."

Mystery sucked in a breath, snapping his jaw shut as Arthur stood slowly to his feet.

"Arthur… I didn't mean-"

"Enough, Mystery." He reached a hand out to the sword still embedded in the earth, leaning heavily on it. "I need you to take a fifteen minute walk in any direction."

"But-"

"Now. Lewis, Vivi, could you go with him please? See that he doesn't do something dumb like run off and think I'm done talking to him just because I'm pissed right now." Arthur lifted a glare to the Kitsune, who shrank back slightly. "Because sometimes spirits do stupid things too."

"You got it Squire." Vivi sloshed carefully over to Mystery.

Lewis squeezed Arthur's shoulder in passing. "Good luck," he offered, before boosting Vivi up on Mystery's back and joining her. Head hung low, Mystery turned and began loping off.

Arthur stared at the sword he held onto, and wondered how many times in his life he would be cleaning up the mess his ancestors left him. Slowly, he unclenched his hand from the sword and turned away from it. He couldn't see Callie anywhere, but she had to be here, the waters would not be still, and though there was no wind there was a keening grief in the air. He waded toward the center of the shallow lake, no higher than his shins, and knelt in the middle of the puddle.

"Nimue." His voice was hardly higher than a whisper, but instantly the surface smoothed to still perfection.

"I am not commanding you to face me, but I will ask you. If you can find it in yourself, I would… I want to look you in the face."

"It hurts." The waters whispered all around him. "Make it stop."

Arthur lowered his arms into the water, spreading them wide. "I can't make it stop. I don't know how. If I knew how I'd do it in a heartbeat. I…" His eyes widened. He jerked to his feet and staggered back to the sword, ripping it free and spinning back around. "What if I gave it back to you?" He asked, "I know you're still bound to it, but then you're not bound to me! Call-Nimue, I can give you that much back!"

She rose out of the water before him, and he was stabbed by the chasmic sorrow in the very way she held herself. "Oh Arthur, not the son of but of the line of Uther…" She stretched out her hands, past the sword completely and resting them gently on Arthur's shoulders. "Nimue is no more. My name is Callie."

He sucked in a breath. She had never voluntarily touched him, save for his healing in her lake.

"You are not your ancestor." Her voice broke like waves on a rock. "You proved me this when you delivered yourself in place of your friends. I gave you my anchor, my will, and my freedom to save you."

"And I can't give it back?" Arthur demanded.

"You can, but you must not." She bowed her head. "The dog is right. I am not what I was. There is darkness in me, Arthur. I am sorry, I…"

Arthur dropped the sword into the water and gingerly held Callie's arms. "You didn't want to look at it. You didn't want to think about the bad things you did that you didn't want to do." He reached out, lifting her head carefully. "What, you really think I don't understand that Callie? Lew's my daily reminder. So is my arm."

"How…. do… you…" Her words were a struggle.

"I just do. I just keep going. Lew forgives me, Vivi's still my friend, Mystery watches my back, and now you're here. We all move forward. Looking back all the time is gonna kill you Callie. Look what it's already done. Now please, let me do what he should have done. Let me give you back your freedom."

"No." She shook her head. "You don't understand. The dog, he… he was bound to you. Your line. So he has become more like you. Your kindness. Your patience. Your loyalty."

Arthur's blood ran cold. "You were bound to a sword…"

A spasm wracked her body. "You have to keep me from hurting anyone Arthur. You can never set me free."

….

Mystery's lope slowed to a dejected trudge once out of earshot of the puddle. Vivi reached forward to scratch his neck comfortingly, but he jerked his head, laying his ears back as he wandered on.

Vivi sighed. "Lew, hold me so I don't fall?" When she felt his hands on her waist, she carefully pivoted until she was facing him. "Did you get the book?"

Lewis' eyes quirked. "The book?"

"Yeah, I asked you to get it while I was at work and then meet me out here afterward for this stuff. Don't tell me you forgot."

He stared off blankly for a few moments, before brightening. "Ah, a book!" He reached through his neck into his chest cavity and removed a cracked leather wrapped stack of pages.

Vivi blinked. "The seller said they had a bright red hardcover, what's this?"

Lewis stared down at it, frowning. "It's… not the right one?"

Vivi shot him an odd glance. "Lew, you're starting to worry me. Where'd you get it? Did you get it from the address I gave you?"

"No. Well." He blinked. "I'm not sure. She just handed it to me." He shrugged.

"So, I sent you to a specific address to get a bright red hardcover and you come back from who-knows-where with an old leatherbound?" She shifted uneasily. "Mystery, you got any sense that this thing's booby trapped?"

"There's no danger in the book." He muttered, plunking his hindquarters down hard. Vivi tumbled into Lewis, who caught her and eased her to the ground. "What's so important about the book anyway?"

"Well, I did promise I'd do some research didn't I?" Vivi adjusted her glasses, brushing her skirt off. "I just got a little distracted. We were looking up books on Kitsunes."

Mystery rolled his eyes. "As if humans these days know anything about Kitsunes."

"Does this book look like it's from 'these days' furball?" Vivi put a hand on her hip. "It would help if you quit pouting."

"Pouting?!" Mystery sputtered.

"Yeah, pouting. You think Squire saw anything in that puddle he didn't already know? Now granted, you were pretty mean back there, and you owe both of them an apology, but Squire's just trying to get some distance between you two so you can cool off and maybe work something out like rational spirits. It's not like he can stop you two if you got into a real fight." She settled cross legged on the ground, opening the book. "He's smart like that. Knows when to cut it off."

Mystery slid flat to the ground with a _whump_ , sighing.

"Right now I'm more than a little worried that the ghost with the memory skills seems to be vague on the details of how he came by this book." She stared over at Lewis.

"Vivi, seriously, why is it so important how I came by the book?" He raised his hands defensively.

"For precisely the reasons stated in my last sentence. Your skill is memory, you're not supposed to be this fuzzy on something that happened just this morning." She picked at the rawhide knot binding the wrapping together, undoing it and sliding the wrap off. The smell of ancient ink and aged pages wafted up and she inhaled deeply, a smile crossing her face. "Can't question the seller's taste though." She scanned down the first page, a frown creasing her face. "Um… it's a letter."

"Who's it to?" Lewis asked.

"No, I mean, it's a letter." She held up the page, which sported an intricately detailed letter 'Y' that took up the entire paper. Glancing down, she lifted up the next one. "O? What kind of a joke is this? Oh…" Her eyes widened. "Wait a minute…" She laid out the first three pages. "You… Lewis make sure the wind doesn't blow anything away." Getting up on her knees, she began laying out the papers in order, one after another after another. As she did, her face began to pale, and her hands became shakier. When she laid the last paper out, she swallowed hard.

"Mystery. You need to see this."

He turned his head sullenly, glancing askance at the papers. His eyes widened and he started to his feet, circling to get a better view of the papers.

Y-O-U-C-A-N-T-R-U-N-F-O-R-E-V-E-R-M-U-T-T


	19. Burying the Axe

"Vivi," Lewis began, but Vivi was focused on Mystery.

"What's going on?" She demanded, pointing at the pages. "Are you being chased Mystery?"

He stared down at the letters, frowning, his ears swiveling forward. "Not that I am aware of." He mused, nosing a page and sniffing. "No scent. Lewis, who gave this to you?"

Lewis shrugged irritably. "I don't know, some woman handed it to me." He hunched his shoulders. "I wasn't paying attention."

"Lew, don't lie." Vivi rounded on him. "You weren't paying attention, or you don't remember?"

Lewis shuffled his feet mid-air, not meeting Vivi's inspective glare. "Look, Vivi-" but she'd turned back to Mystery.

"Doesn't remember. I knew it. Something's off about this lady he met, and you're telling me you don't know anyone who would be chasing you? Maybe not now, but from a long time ago?"

"Vivi, you're asking me to dive through several human lifetimes of memories, do you have any idea how long that would take? And I don't even know what I'm looking for, which makes it a lot harder to pinpoint!"

"Vivi!" Lewis blurted.

"What?" She snapped back to him.

"I'm missing a Deadbeat."

She blanched. "Come again?"

Slowly he raised his head higher, and four Deadbeats spilled out, perching on his shoulders and head nervously. "You're right. I shouldn't be forgetting something that just happened. I did a headcount, and I'm one short."

"Someone has a piece of your MIND?" Vivi shrieked.

Lewis shifted uncomfortably. "Seems so. Ah, Vivi, please, deep breaths, you're turning red."

"Oh you think I'M turning red you just wait til I get my hands on that squirrel feathered flying salami cube who took a piece of your mind! Mystery!"

Mystery's head snapped up.

"I don't care if you have to go through a million years, we have to know who this is we're dealing with! She obviously knows YOU, so you must have known her at some point! You have to look for clues!"

"Calm down Vivi." Mystery grumbled irritably. "I'll see what I can do." His ears lifted. "Arthur is coming… Vivi, please clean up the papers. Do not speak of this to him."

"And why not?" Vivi bristled. "I thought we were done keeping secrets!"

"I'm not keeping secrets!" He growled. "I am waiting until this theory is verified before alarming someone I happen to care about a great deal, there is a vast difference. As soon as I have any verification, I will gladly tell Arthur. Do you mind?"

Vivi subsided, turning to snatch the papers off the ground and muttering to herself. Lewis drifted closer to Mystery, shrugging apologetically. "She's just mad about this." He gathered up his remaining Deadbeats and returned them to his chest cavity. "I'm sure it's nothing. It'll probably be back soon."

"Of course." Mystery eyed him oddly.

Lewis lifted a hand in greeting as Arthur approached, his hand wavering as he took in Arthur's dejected posture. Leaving Mystery, he drifted closer to Arthur. "Hey, Arthur, what's going on? You look like hell."

"Feel it." Arthur sighed. "Lew, sorry to shuffle everyone around, but can you and Vivi go keep Callie company? I gotta talk to Mystery."

"Care to catch me up before I go back? What happened?"

"Just more crap from the past that I can't possibly fix." He rubbed a hand across his face. "Though why it had to happen to someone as pure as her…" He shook his head. "Even if she made a dumb choice, the King made it worse. Story of my line, it seems."

Lewis patted his shoulder firmly. "We got this Arthur. At least it's all out in the open, we'll pick up the pieces and keep moving. Best we can do. You got this. Just be careful, Mystery's a grouch right now." He paused, leaning in to whisper, "And so is Vivi. Just take care of Mystery, I'll steer Vivi over toward Callie."

Arthur gave a short snicker. "Right. Good luck with that." He passed Lewis and walked up to Mystery, who had just settled himself down again. Arthur sat himself cross-legged in front of Mystery, who lowered his snout on top of his crossed forelegs. "So."

Mystery's tails shifted, but he said nothing.

"I'm gonna move past the comment you made about humans cause you're not wrong, and obviously King Arthur was a primo example. But you're out of line lashing out at Callie."

Mystery's eyes narrowed.

"She's out of line dragging up your past, for the record." Arthur ran a hand through his hair. "Mystery, what was I like as a kid? Like, a really little kid."

Hesitantly, Mystery replied, "Very curious. Always running around. Trying to pull everything apart and put it back together."

"Did you care about me?"

Mystery's ears flattened. "Why would you even ask that?" He asked, hurt.

"Just answer my question, please."

"Of course I did."

"Would you still care about me if I made a really stupid mistake? One that hurt me a lot?"

Mystery gave him a pointed stare, and Arthur nodded. "Case in point, I already made a really stupid mistake, and you stuck around. Mystery, I know you don't care for Callie. But for all intents and purposes, no matter how old she really was, she was like a child. She did something she couldn't possibly have known the consequences for, but you hate her for it." He sighed. "Now listen. You know I don't hold your past against you, yeah?" Mystery nodded. "So when I say this, know it's me stating a fact, not blaming you. But your choices were different. You were fully aware of what you were doing. And your choices tended to harm others. Callie's choice hurt her more than anyone else."

Mystery flinched, averting his eyes. Arthur scooted right up to his muzzle, resting a hand on Mystery's snout. "Hey. No blame, buddy. And she shouldn't be blaming you anymore either. It's in the past, and you're different. But she's stuck in the past because it all hurts. You know how much it hurt me that I was used to kill Lewis?" Mystery grunted in acknowledgment. "Can you imagine what it would have been like if that happened to me as a kid?"

Mystery's eyes widened.

"Yeah. I handled it pretty badly as an adult. As a kid, who even knows? It would probably have looked about like what's happening to Callie right now. She doesn't know what to do with herself. You know what she told me?" Mystery shook his head. "She just told me I can't give her anchor back. She said she's becoming more like the sword. She…" He cleared his throat, wiping his eye. "She said I need to keep her from hurting anyone. Mystery…" He dropped his hands back into his lap. "I can't fix the damage her choice did, and I can't fix the damage King Arthur did. But I can give her a home, I can look after her as long as I'm alive, I can do what he should have done." He looked up, sadly. "Mystery, please. You say you need me, well guess what? I need you too. And right now, I need your help, and that means putting the past in the past. More than that, it means helping me help Callie move on. Do you think you can do that, Mystery?"

Mystery heaved a sigh, leaves skittering away on the gust. "I can try."

Arthur wrapped his arms around Mystery's muzzle, startling the kitsune. "Thanks buddy. It means a lot to me."

Mystery stared down at him, gingerly putting a paw on Arthur's back. When Arthur released his mouth, he mused, "It never ceases to amaze me that you treat me no differently, no matter what happens or what you learn."

"That's cause you still can't see what I see." Arthur stood. "That's ok. I'll just keep seeing it for you until you do. C'mon."

…...

Arthur crossed his fingers as they approached. The puddle had shrunk a good deal, and he could see Callie collected in Vivi's lap. Vivi was running her hands over Callie's head and back, herself quite a bit calmer, and Callie looking slightly less miserable. Lewis knelt nearby, rubbing Vivi's shoulder and humming softly.

As they came closer, Vivi nudged Callie, directing her attention to Arthur and Mystery. Callie rose out of Vivi's lap, silently drifting closer, a guarded resignation on her face.

Mystery regarded her for a long time, silent as his tails swished in thought. She crossed her arms, bracing for whatever he would say.

Finally, he took a long, slow breath in. "I'm sorry."

Callie's body went rigid.

"If King Arthur were alive, and if he ever knew what I really was, I would have said the same to him. Our Arthur knows. But what I was doing affected you." His eyes dropped to the ground. "I was not all of the 'not-joy' you heard, humans are always suffering, but I was quite a bit of it. If I hadn't been, perhaps you wouldn't have felt the need to leave your lake." He pawed the ground slowly. "For my part in your decision, and for what I did to King Arthur… I am sorry."

Callie did not move.

"I do not expect your forgiveness. I do not expect your trust." His tails swept the ground behind him. "But a word of advice from a spirit who caused much more damage than you are even able to comprehend, far beyond Arthur's kingdom, pretending it didn't happen will never do you good." The corners of Mystery's mouth pulled down hard as he spoke. "It won't make the pain go away to pretend it isn't so."

Callie dropped from her place mid-air, sloshing into the puddle and vanishing. Arthur started toward the place where she hit, but was stopped by Mystery's paw. The kitsune did not look at him, but stared intently where she'd vanished. When the sound of quiet crying rose from the surface, Mystery closed his eyes, sighing heavily, and lowered his muzzle into the water. When he lifted his head, Callie hung between his jaws. She writhed, shrieking angrily, "Don't touch me!" Her arms whipped around his muzzle, lashing deep cuts across the sides. Mystery winced, but held on.

Blood dripped down his muzzle, and her arms froze. "I…" Her voice shook. "I…" She went limp, her body heaving with sobs. Mystery turned, carrying her away from the puddle, past the mud to a dry stretch of ground. He laid down on a patch of grass, setting Callie down between his forelegs. Gingerly, he nuzzled her.

"You didn't mean it." He said quietly. "You're just hurting."

And Callie wept.


	20. Naming the Doom

Lewis sat between Vivi and Arthur, watching their chests rise and fall in alternating rhythms. Vivi had curled closer to him, her arms splayed out and her mouth open. He smiled to himself, amused at how the impulse to fix her sleeping posture no longer tugged at him. He brushed her hair back gently.

Callie hadn't budged from between Mystery's paws, and he'd made no move to dislodge her. As the sun set, Arthur and Vivi had called in to their respective jobs regarding the next day, Vivi claiming a cold and Arthur informing Uncle Lance of the situation as it stood. They'd chosen a relatively comfortable stretch of ground to sleep on, and Lewis had settled between them to keep them warm for the night.

He turned from Vivi to Arthur, making sure his friend had ample warmth. Arthur slept with his back to Vivi and Lewis, curled up in a tight ball, so different from Vivi's ample sprawl. Lewis sighed, brushing a hand over Arthur's head gently. He hoped someday Arthur would be able to unwind a little more. He was making progress, but Lewis had to be relentless with his pranks and jokes in the shop and at the house.

"Lewis."

Lewis' skull turned all the way around, facing back toward Mystery. "Hmm?"

"Lewis, can you come here?"

Lewis carefully levitated up so he didn't disturb Arthur or Vivi, and floated over toward Mystery. "Yeah Mystery? How's Callie?"

Mystery glanced down. "Calmer."

"Is she asleep?"

"I don't believe she needs sleep. But she's resting."

"Like I do when I need to recharge?" Lewis asked.

"Precisely." He opened his mouth slightly, his lips twitching. "I… Lewis…"

"Yeah?"

Mystery strained with his words. "I need to ask for your help."

His silence stretched on for awhile, and Lewis raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

The spirit's eyes closed. "Vivi is right. I need to see if I can figure out what's going on. But at the same time, I need help. It isn't easy digging through as many memories as I have, and that happens to be your specialty."

Lewis' other eyebrow flew up to meet the first. "You're… asking _me_?"

"Before you agree, I need you to understand something." His eyes were still shut. "Arthur knows of the things you will see, but he has not seen them. Neither has Vivi. They know, but they do not truly understand. Lewis…" He took in a breath slowly through his teeth. "I will ask you to never show these things to another living soul. Especially Arthur."

"Why?" Lewis asked cautiously.

"Because, Lewis, when you are finished you will be afraid of me." Mystery's voice was somber, resigned, and flatly factual. "And if Arthur was afraid of me, I don't think I would be able to bear it." He finally opened his eyes, regarding Lewis. "I am burdening you with this. But without your help, I may not be able to find the information we need."

Lewis nodded slowly. "Yeah. Okay Mystery. Just as long as I get back to Arthur before he wakes up. You know how he is."

Mystery frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

"You know. He still has trouble standing by himself." Lewis sighed. "Do you think there's any way we can break his fear of heights?"

Mystery stared at him, eyes wide. "Lewis, bring out your Deadbeats right now. This second. Count them."

Confused, Lewis called his Deadbeats out. Three of them circled around his head in a frantic little knot, making distressed mewling noises. "Wait… why do I only have three?"

"You've lost another one." Mystery hissed. "When? When did it vanish?"

"I don't know!" Lewis gathered them into his arms, his hair flickering. "What's going on?"

"You're losing Deadbeats to something, probably that woman who gave you the book."

"What woman? What book?!" Lewis clutched his Deadbeats.

Mystery shook his head violently. "Nevermind. This is bad. With each Deadbeat you lose you're going back toward…" He stiffened. He took in a breath slowly, releasing it, and repeated this a few times. "Lewis, listen to me. I think time is running out, and I need you to help me. It's more important than ever now. For Arthur, please."

Lewis turned back to Arthur and Vivi, staring at his best friend. "Are you telling me that I'm forgetting myself… and that I might…"

"Yes."

Lewis turned back to Mystery, leaping up to the kitsune's head and settling himself cross-legged between his ears. He rolled back his sleeves, placing his hands on either side of the great head, just over the eyes. "Don't you let me hurt him Mystery."

"I won't." Mystery promised.

A bright pink glow surrounded Lewis' hands as the ghost plunged headlong into the memories.

He bypassed nearly all of Arthur's life immediately, stopping briefly on Arthur as a toddler being rolled around by Mystery, before continuing backwards. "How far back?" He asked.

Mystery thought for a moment, and his ears lifted. "Callie asked me about losing my way, and I was unable to answer her." He frowned. "And I began to have a headache… which grew worse soon after. Search before King Arthur." His voice dropped to a whisper, his ears drooping. "I am sorry for what you will see."

Bracing himself, Lewis zipped farther back, past every ancestor of Arthur's, past King Arthur and Merlin… and he began to scream.

Magic shimmered in the air around him, and his scream echoed back to him, the sound sealed off, but he could not stop. He was sitting on top of a monster. A monster had watched over his friend all his life. A monster was guarding them. A monster had held Vivi's locket with her very soul attached, and he had allowed that. A monster.

He couldn't let go. If he did, he would lose any chance of stopping what was happening. Arthur, he had to hold on for Arthur. He would make up for his part in Arthur's collapse if it broke him. His fingers clenched Mystery's fur, pressing hard into the skin as he dug deeper, terrified for his own existence.

There. Recognition flickered briefly. A figure, tall and proud. A tree shedding cherry blossoms. Eyes like steel. An outstretched hand bearing a blossoming flower.

And underneath him, the monster's body convulsed with a cry. The magic flickered away, leaving Lewis' screams to rouse Arthur and Vivi. Callie jerked out of Mystery's paws, alarmed, and Vivi pelted toward them.

"What the monkey feathers are you soggy nuggets doing?" She shouted, grabbing fistfulls of Mystery's fur and hauling herself up his side, onto his back, and crawling toward Lewis.

"Mystery!" Arthur stood by Mystery's neck, beating on his massive shoulder in an attempt to draw his attention, but Mystery didn't respond. His eyes had rolled back and his mouth hung open in a soundless shriek. His claws dug into the earth, raking up great clods. "Mystery!" Arthur gripped Mystery's foreleg with his robotic arm and squeezed as hard as he could.

Mystery yelped and his head bucked, hurling Lewis and Vivi off. They tumbled to the ground. Mystery staggered to his feet, shaking Arthur free and backed up, eyes wide. "I can't. I can't. They're right. He's right, you're all… I'm…" he turned tail, muscles tensed and bunching to leap, to spring, to run away as far as he could.

"Don't you dare!"

And his paws sank deep into ground that was suddenly muddy, and then fully flooded. The water swarmed up his legs, anchoring him in place. Callie darted around in front of him, eyes flashing. "Don't you dare." She glanced at Lewis, huddled in a fetal position, and back to Mystery. "Whatever he found for you, you can't run. You can't pretend it didn't happen. Isn't that right?"

Mystery's ears laid back, a groan dragging up through his entire body. "Callie… you don't understand."

"I understand you're about to run. But it was you who said pretending it didn't happen will solve nothing."

Mystery's head drooped in defeat, and he whispered, half to himself, "It doesn't matter anyway. Gods, how did it take her this long…" He lay down in the mud dejectedly. The water receded back into the ground.

Vivi had her arms wrapped tightly around Lewis, who could not stop screaming. "What the flamenco fish scales did you do?!"

Miserably, Mystery answered, "I asked him to help me filter through my memories to find the information you were looking for. He's lost another Deadbeat Vivi, and he thinks Arthur has trouble standing up right now. We're running out of time."

Arthur swayed slightly, and Callie gripped his arm to keep him upright. He knew what came next.

"I warned him he would be afraid of me…" Mystery hid his face under his paws. "I'm sorry, I can't change it."

"Nevermind that." Vivi kept her voice steady, her hands stroking Lewis' face over and over, his screams subsiding to deep moaning. "We'll deal with that after. What did you find?"

"Their name is Inari Okami," Mystery spoke from under his paws. "And if they have found me, then I am doomed."


	21. Pure Justice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My thanks to Tumblr User Squigglydigg for helping me brainstorm about the mysterious tree lady profile and letting me bounce spoilery ideas off her to help me form this upcoming part of the story, AND FOR NOT SAYING ANYTHING. Thanks for being a trooper about the spoilers!

"Okay, so let's start with the basics. Who is Inari?"

Mystery pulled his paws away from his face, and Arthur was taken aback by the amount of despair in Mystery's eyes. "Always address them by the full name Inari Okami. Never more, never less. They are the god of soil fertility, with a gentle hand for all things growing." His ears flattened. "And my maker."

"Okay hold," Vivi put up a hand. "You say 'they' and say 'god' singular, what gives?"

Mystery shrank down, muttering under his breath until he assumed human form, complete with clothes. He sighed, "Weeks recalling spells and I can finally have clothes on command." He returned to Vivi's question. "They are more of a mystery than even I know. I do not understand them. Are they male? Female? I cannot tell. They have the voice of many from one form."

"Nevermind that!" Arthur sputtered. "She… he… they made you? When, how? Mystery why are you afraid?" He reached out, grabbing Mystery's fidgeting hands.

Mystery jerked free of Arthur, keeping his eyes down. "If you aren't, you should be. Their sense of justice is feared, and even among the gods they are known for their merciless nature."

Arthur's face drained of color. "Mystery, what are they going to do to you?"

Mystery didn't look up. "I don't know. I ran away. I saw their justice for what it really was and I ran."

"What were you to them?" Vivi crouched nearby.

"I was…" he faltered. "I was to be their perfect instrument of justice. The one that delivered warnings and punishment on their command." His fingers touched each other in rhythmic patterns, crossing and uncrossing on occasion. "And I did. I saw…" his eyes widened, and his fingers grasped the bridge of his glasses. "I saw what they would have me see… oh GODS!" He clamped onto the glasses, wrenching hard, struggling to pull them from his face. "Oh GODS they won't come off! They never did, oh gods I still have them, oh gods, how long?" He clawed at his face. "Arthur did I do anything stupid?"

Callie wrapped her hands around his wrists, pulling them down from his face. Quietly, "I asked you how long you had the glasses, where you got them. You didn't know. What are they, Mystery?"

His expression crumbled. "They put them on me, so I would see what they wanted me to see. HOW they wanted me to see the world. I was their blind little _lapdog_ dispensing punishment and judgment _gladly._ Arthur, did I do anything stupid?"

"No, why would you have done anything stupid Mystery?" He reached out, but Mystery shied back.

"Don't touch me!" He breathed heavily, pulling his hands away from Callie's grip. His fingers began to fidget again. "I'm asking, Arthur, because I did anything they wanted me to, and gladly. Do you understand? I didn't see the world like I wanted to, I saw it like they did. So I did things. Things in the name of justice." His jaw clenched. "In the name of goodness. And they weren't good. And they weren't just. They were cruel." His eyes darted up to Arthur's for the briefest moment. "That's what justice without mercy is, Arthur. Cruelty."

"And you saw it?" Arthur asked. "How, if you had the glasses?"

"The glasses worked only when they were near. They left me once, and only once. And when they left me, I went out and saw the effects of their precious justice without their influence." His lip curled. "I saw what I'd done. And I ran, as hard and as fast and as far as I could. I bloodied my face trying to be rid of these." He gave another futile yank on the glasses, but they did not budge. "I was a desperate young two-tails, and very alone. I did not have much power myself, and there are many spirits out there who gladly would have bolted me down for a quick power boost."

"Is that when you met the…" Arthur swallowed a little.

"Yes. He was already more powerful than I, but not by much. He didn't try to attack me, he merely asked me what I was doing there. I told him everything." His eyes narrowed. "He told me the only way I could truly be free of a god was to become more powerful than them. To become a god myself. And that the only way to do that was…" His voice dropped away. He wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his face in his arms. His fingers continued to twitch.

"What?" Arthur asked.

"Monster…" Lewis croaked, rocking on the ground. Vivi scooted back to his side, pulling his head into her lap and stroking his skull.

Mystery's eyes closed. "The consumption of souls." Mystery answered quietly. "Not light spirits, mind you, it wasn't long before neither of us could even touch one without horrible pain. But dark spirits. Lost souls." He hesitated, then plunged ahead. "Ghosts. And warm souls, those still embodied."

Arthur let out a breath between his teeth. "When that Spirit said he wanted you to see my soul sucked outta my body…"

"Yes." Mystery said simply. "And over the years, we found the darker a human soul was, or the more corrupted by despair we could make it, the more power we gained. After a time, Inari Okami was an afterthought. I had not seen them in eons, and I decided they had moved on, but by then I enjoyed what I did, and did it for sport as much as power." He drew a shaky breath. "Lewis is right to fear me. I've told you before but he's seen now. It's very clear." He shook his head. "Not even the time I spent with your line could make up for it. What will they do with me, you ask? I do not know." His fingers twitched in the air a final time. "But I know that my time with you is done."

Arthur's legs locked together, and his arms stuck fast to his sides. Vivi fell over sideways, unable to move her limbs. Arthur tried to open his mouth, but his lips were sealed shut.

"What are you doing?" Callie shrieked, flying at Mystery. He didn't dodge her attack, but collapsed under the blow, grimacing as she pinned him back into the mud. "Release them, dog!"

"Listen to me, Callie." Mystery stared up at her intently. "You must take care of Arthur. He is your first priority. These others are his family, and are to be treated accordingly. Take them far away from here if you can, if Arthur does not order you to search for me first. Try and keep him from speaking to you until you are safely away. That way he cannot command you."

Callie released him, staring down. "You're keeping him from following you. Or making me hold you here," she realized.

"Precisely." Mystery stood carefully to his feet again, uselessly brushing at the mud on his clothes. "Inari Okami is a god of justice, one who does not care for mitigating circumstances. My punishment will be… fitting. Whatever it is. But I will not have my punishment involve Arthur. Especially when he has his own regrets, they will smell them miles away, if they haven't already. But they are much more interested in me."

"Are you strong enough?" Callie demanded. "Will you be back?"

"Do you hear only what you want to?" He snapped. "I'm going to face my punishment. Once upon a time a very long time ago, I thought I could be a god. All I did was turn myself into a demon with no recourse. I will never be as powerful as them." He squared his shoulders. "So take care of Arthur, as I no longer can."

Arthur strained as hard as he could, but his body refused to respond. Mystery turned, walking over toward Arthur and crouching. He laid a hand on Arthur's head. "Thank you. Your friendship has meant more than you will ever know, especially in these last few months. You're right, you need to look after Callie. She will look after you as well, you and Vivi and Lewis. With her nearby, you needn't worry about your safety." He stood, clearing his throat and wiping his eyes. "Don't look him in the eyes, Callie. Just take him and Vivi and go. Lewis will follow wherever Vivi goes."

He bent forward, crouching as he regained his kitsune form. Arthur cursed the fox in his mind. He'd only become human so he could work a spell while talking. He should have _known_ those hand motions meant something. Mystery turned his head, regarding Arthur once more, his great round eyes moist.

"Long live Arthur." His voice cracked. "May it be." Then he was off, bounding off toward the horizon.

Arthur stared after Mystery's receding form until he was just a white dot. He felt watery arms gathering him upright, and heard Callie murmuring, "We should go."

"Arthur Rebbs."

A chill ran down Arthur's spine. His eyes darted toward the source of the sound. Vivi still lay prone, unable to move and frowning furiously. Lewis was still curled in the fetal position on the ground, but just over him hovered a Deadbeat.

The Deadbeat was staring straight at him, a cold contempt on its face.

"Arthur Rebbs."

No Deadbeat had ever spoken to him. They chittered and chirped, but they didn't speak, and certainly not with multiple voices coming from one mouth.

"Your regrets have been measured."

Arthur willed his body to move, but nothing happened.

"Your sins have been counted."

_No. No. No. Don't._

"Your judgment has been passed. For the crime of envy leading to the crime of murder and the spilling of blood, you will suffer. Justice has been pronounced."

"Go away!" Callie hissed, putting herself between Arthur and the Deadbeat. "Whoever you are, you're not wanted here."

The Deadbeat gestured to Callie, and she fell limp to the ground. "You will not stand in the way of justice." With that, it darted off in the direction Mystery had run.

A moment or two of silence hung in the air. Arthur could smell smoke wafting over on the breeze, and he shut his eyes.

"So." He heard Lewis whisper far, far too close to his ear. "Now that I've finally found you, the only question is, what to do with you?"


	22. The Order of Power

_I'm going to die._

Arthur was surprised at how calmly the thought crossed his mind, especially since he was flying through the air. He hit the ground shoulder-first, tumbling over and over as he finally slowed to a stop, wheezing through his nose. From the moment Lewis had snatched him up by the collar and hauled back like a pitcher on the mound, Arthur had begun running through every possibility and option he had, and by the time he was flying through the air he had narrowed it down to zero.

He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. Mystery was gone. Callie and Vivi couldn't move. And Lewis didn't remember.

He'd landed where he could see Lewis stalking toward him. The ghost paused briefly, turning to inspect the blue form lying nearby. He winced, taking a step back. Arthur could picture Vivi's outraged expression perfectly.

"I don't expect you to understand." Lewis growled, turning away from Vivi. "But it doesn't matter. I'll be back, and you won't remember he even existed. It's better that way." He turned back to Arthur. "I'll take our business out of sight and sound at least. You don't need to see this."

"Are you going to kill him?"

Arthur's heart leaped. _Callie can still talk!_

Lewis' skull flipped around, facing Callie. "Who are you?"

"Someone who also suffers under Arthur's hand. Are you going to kill him?"

Lewis' stance relaxed slightly. "Yes."

"Then do one thing for me. Kill him with my anchor. It is the sword, it is lying nearby. If you do, I will finally be free of him." Her voice pitched oddly as she added, "The bonds will be cut."

Lewis inclined his head. "Gladly." He scooped Excalibur off the ground where Arthur had let it fall.

"Please do not take too much time," she begged, "It has been so long since I was free."

Lewis' hair flared slightly, but he nodded shortly. "If you are suffering while he lives, I will make it quicker."

_Callie, you are a brilliant water spirit, and I owe you more than I can ever repay._

Lewis grabbed Arthur by the ankle and stormed off. The ghost made sure to drag him over every rock and ridge in his path, and would veer out of his way to bang Arthur against the occasional tree.

_I can manage this. I can. I just have to wait until he tries to kill me._

He'd just begun to wonder how long Lewis would drag him when the ghost abruptly whirled on him, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him off the ground. Arthur's vision blurred as he struggled to breathe, his arms and legs dangling limply.

"Whoever delivered you to me delivered you spellbound, so I can't expect an answer." Lewis' hair burned, his eyes glowing darkly. "Still, I can't help wondering. How long did it take before you started dating Vivi? A month? Couple of weeks? Did you ask her out at my funeral?"

He could feel the bones in his jaw straining under Lewis' grip. Any more and he wouldn't have a mouth to work with even if the spell faded. Lewis slammed him to the ground and Arthur heard something crack. Stars burst across his vision and he sucked air in through his nose.

A heavy fist drove the wind from his gut, and his lungs cried for oxygen. Darkness crowded the corners of his vision.

_Have to hold on._

"You were my best friend. _My best friend._ How could you?" Lewis seethed. "I trusted you." Something hard slammed into the side of his face, and for a moment everything went black.

"WAKE UP!" The command wrenched him back to consciousness. He opened his eyes, and found he could only open the left one part-way.

_Hold on. Sword. Have to. Callie._

"I'd make this last a lot longer, but it sounds like you've been busy spreading misery ever since I died." He dropped Arthur, planting the tip of the sword against Arthur's ribcage. "I would ask for your last words, but then I didn't get any, did I?"

Arthur's gut twisted. It didn't matter that this wasn't the Lewis he knew, the words still dug deep.

Lewis drove the sword down hard. The tip tore through Arthur's shirt, then folded like tinfoil, the length of the blade crumpling aside even as he could feel the spell loosening, then unwinding entirely. Arthur's hands flew up, clasping the dulled blade as he croaked, "Callie, help!"

Lewis jerked back, aghast. Excalibur reformed, perfectly straight and gleaming sharply. His eyes narrowed. "You…" He dropped the sword, his palms glowing. "This won't save you."

Arthur rolled, barely avoiding a fireball. Grabbing Excalibur, he rolled on his back, lifting it in time to deflect another blast. The impact flashed up his arm and down his ribcage, and he almost wished Lewis had killed him.

_Something is definitely broken._

He couldn't move his arm, and now any motion robbed him of breath completely. He watched helplessly as Lewis prepared another fireball, watched it stream toward him in slow motion. Watched it sizzle out against the wall of water that roared up out of the ground as Callie latched onto Lewis' head, putting out his flames and knocking him down.

_Callie's strong than Mystery. Inari Okami is stronger than Callie. But Callie's binding is stronger than Inari Okami's command._

"D-don't hurt him." Arthur groaned. "I-AUGH." He clutched his side, moaning.

There was a loud swish, and cool, wet hands ran gingerly over his face, but he shook his head. "N-no time. Just. Fix. Whatever. Will slow. Me down."

He felt her hands moving down to his ribcage and shoulder, fingers dragging back and forth across the skin. He could feel the cells in his bones, muscles, and sinews responding. Breathing came easier, and some of the pain receded. He struggled to sit and she propped him upright gently. "Thank. You. You're… you're brilliant." He coughed, spitting a bloody gob. Glancing up, he saw Lewis bound hand and foot with watery cords. "Can… get… Vivi?"

Callie nodded, darting back the way she'd come.

"Suffering under you, huh?" Lewis sneered.

"She is." Arthur tested his weight on one leg before standing shakily on both. "But not the way you think. Lewis. We don't have time for this. I'd be more than happy to try and reason with you any other day. ANY other day. But if I don't do something fast, Mystery will probably die."

"Your dog?" Lewis asked flatly.

"He's a high level spirit." Arthur returned Excalibur to its scabbard. "Guarded my family for generations. Not just a dog. So I'm making this quick. How did you get here?"

Lewis glowered at him.

"I'll bet the last thing you remember is being in the mansion and seeing me drag Vivi off, isn't it? How did you get here?"

"It doesn't matter!" Lewis wrenched against the cords. "I have you in reach, that's all that matters!"

"Think, Lew!" Arthur's voice was sharp. "You don't have all the pieces. Think about what doesn't make sense! Did I have a sword and a water spirit in your last memory?"

Lewis growled.

"You have five Deadbeats." Arthur stared him straight in the eyes. "They greeted us at the door, right? Count them Lew. If you have more than two Deadbeats on you right now, I'll tell Callie to untie you so you can kill me. Cause that's all you have left."

Deadbeats flew out of Lewis' chest cavity, chittering and squawking in distress. Arthur watched Lewis' eyes widen with little satisfaction. There were only two.

"Listen to me." He crouched in front of Lewis. "There's pieces missing. Someone's been stealing your Deadbeats, and I know who. All I'm asking is that you help me, and not kill me until we get your Deadbeats back. Then, you can do whatever you want with me."

Lewis' eyes dropped from Arthur's face to his robotic arm, then his torso. "There… is more… that happened." He acknowledged slowly. Arthur glanced down at his shredded shirt and grimaced. He rarely looked at his scar, it didn't matter much to him. But Lewis had immediately locked on it. He wondered briefly if a deathly wound was obvious to those who had already died, but dismissed it as a question he would have to ask later.

"Can you hold off on my death til we get your Deadbeats back?" Arthur demanded.

Lewis peered at him oddly. "You're not the same Arthur."

A bitter laugh shook Arthur's shoulders. "Yeah, well, death changes people. A good friend once told me that. Hope I get to see him again."

"Once I have my Deadbeats back, I will burn you." Lewis vowed.

"Fine." Arthur touched the tip of the sword to the cords, which fell away from Lewis. "Ah, but you might want to duck."

"Duck?" Lewis stood. "Why-" A fist collided with his skull, spinning it around and around. He raised his hands to stop the spinning and found himself toe to toe with a furious bluenette.

"Lewis, I know you don't know what you're doing right now but if you lay a finger on Arthur again, you useless pile of flaming chow mein, I will RIP ALL THE PEPPERONI OFF YOUR FOUR MEAT PIZZA YOU DIRT PATCH! ARE WE CLEAR?"

Arthur could swear Lewis lost two inches as he nodded silently at Vivi.

"GOOD. Now Arthur, where is this Inari Okami? I WANT TO BURN SOMETHING!"

Arthur turned toward Callie, who twined her arms in distress.

"Arthur, Mystery was right. I had to unbind you, he was a fool and didn't predict this circumstance, but I am no match for a god! Neither is he, and if we aren't, you have no chance!"

"Don't tell me I have no chance." Arthur gripped the hilt of his sword. "I've heard that too many times now, and I'm still alive, and we're together by the end of it each time. Callie, take us to Mystery. This is my kingdom, this is my family, and it's been threatened."


	23. Rewriting Best Served Cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I can't tell you how much I've been learning at this writer's conference. It's really amazing, and you know what? Most of this fanfiction is complete crap. I'm scrapping a lot of it. No more Callie for sure, sheesh, that was a bonehead move, Child. Ok, so, let's start back at Best Served Cold when the Spirit calls Arthur down the hall of the cave toward itself. I know what this story is missing finally, and I think you'll all agree. Here we go, rewriting from the middle of Best Served Cold.

Arthur's body twisted, buckling under the unseen force within that pulled him to his knees. In front of him lay bones, stripped completely clean, bleached white by wind and polished by sand.

Turning his head to the side, he retched, his mind barely able to connect with what he was seeing.

It was his left arm. He could still see his old watch fastened around the wrist.

_"Come."_

He could feel it now. It was weaker than the first time it had taken him, but still strong enough to drive him. He twisted, trying to pull back as his body bowed forward, his right arm reaching out slowly to grasp the remains of his left.

His back arched backward and he screamed. It was NOTHING like the first time. The first time it had slipped in on the heels of his emotions and thoughts. Now he understood, as its presence flooded up his right arm, shot through his chest and up into his mind. In a moment, he saw everything.

"At last!" A high pitched voice cried from his throat. "Finally revenge will be mine!"

A heavy sigh echoed all around him. "This isn't going to change anything moron. You're still bound to the cave. I paid good money for that spell."

"Ahahaha, that is where you are mistaken FOOLBOY," Arthur's throat was already hurting from the high pitch the Spirit forced on him. "Watch as my plan unfolds, and then your world is mine."

"Yeah, sure, whatever." The voice faded away. "I'll be in the corner when you fail."

"THERE IS NO FAIL!" Arthur shrilled, feeling inexplicably sulky. "Idiot child and his abnormally large head."

Arthur's neck began jerking, his head bobbing to some unseen rhythm, and a twisted grin spread across his face. "Excellent, just as planned!" He seated himself on the ledge, crossing his legs and bouncing his knees in anticipation.

A pink glow suffused the tunnel, and Arthur could see it growing brighter. A form rounded the corner; a skeleton standing over six feet tall dressed in a striking black suit, fiery pink hair flickering with flames as he approached. His footsteps made no sound, and he carried nothing with him, save a notebook in one hand.

Arthur flung his arms wide, smiling warmly, "Ahah, you've come! Perfect, oh, um," He stood to his feet. "Oh no, I seem to be at the edge of a very high cliff, it would be a terrible shame if somebody pushed me off the edge!" He inched closer to the edge, wiggling his eyebrows.

The echoey voice from before gave a deep groan. "You are an idiot. You plan for a whole year and THAT'S the best you got?"

"SILENCE!" Arthur screamed. "MY PLAN IS PERFECT!" He turned back to the now perturbed skeleton, chuckling a little nervously. "Indeed, I am right here at the edge, whoopsy, it would only take a teeny tiny nudge."

"Who are you, and what have you done with Arthur?" Lewis deadpanned.

Arthur straightened, righteous indignation flooding him. "How dare you accuse me of not being… what's his name again?"

"Arthur." Lewis raised an eyebrow.

"ARTHUR. How dare you accuse me of not being Arthur!"

"Yeah, well, you're obviously not, so how about you tell me who you really are and what you're really doing here."

"I tell you I am Arthur!" Arthur jerked off his vest and hurled it down angrily. "I spent a whole year dragging at the edge of his puny mind, I WILL HAVE YOU BELIEVE I AM ARTHUR!"

"Nope."

"YES!"

"Nope."

"I AM ARTHUR!"

"Uh-uh."

"WHAT CAN I DO TO CONVINCE YOU THAT I AM ARTHUR?" He shrieked, his vocal cords straining painfully.

"You can start by telling me who you were before you were Arthur, then I might believe you're Arthur."

"Promise?" Arthur crossed his arms.

"Promise." Lewis assented, sitting down.

Arthur sat as well. "Fine. Before I was Arthur-" Again, an audible, exasperated sigh filled the room. "BEFORE I WAS ARTHUR, I was a powerful Invader, a mastermind, a genius with amazing mental capacities FAR EXCEEDING ANY LARGE-HEADED CHILD THAT MIGHT BE LISTENING. And I came to this place to… um…" Arthur's eyes darted down. "None of your business! But, um, I WAS FOILED. I was pushed off the cliff by this...um… FORMIDABLE OPPONENT much like yourself! And I have been waiting here for my vengeance, JUST LIKE YOU and I want to help you! So, go on!" He scooted backwards. "Push me!" He demanded.

"No."

"BUT YOU PROMISED TO BELIEVE I WAS ARTHUR!" Arthur screeched.

"Give it up Zim!" The echoey voice snapped. "You're an idiot, and you were beaten by an Earth Child, and MY HEAD IS NOT BIG!"

"Who are you?" Lewis demanded.

Next to Arthur appeared a transparent little boy with an abnormally large head-good Irk Arthur was right-and rumpled, jet-black scythe hair. He adjusted his glasses, glaring at Arthur, then turned to Lewis. "The Earth Child. Look, I'm Dib. This is Zim."

"ARTHUR!"

"Right. This is Arthur," He coughed heavily, "Who used to be Zim. He's an alien who came to conquer Earth. He was coming here to do some evil plan involving… what was it again?"

"YOU FORGOT MY EVIL PLAN?" Arthur roared angrily.

"I've been a little preoccupied with my own death!" Dib growled. "It was stupid anyway. Something about carnivorous sandwiches."

"MUFFINS! CARNIVOROUS FLYING MUFFINS YOU DIRT MONKEY!"

"WHATEVER!" Dib shouted back. "Anyway, I pushed him off, yeah, but he grabbed me on the way down. I had just enough time to throw a spell I bought off Agent Tunaghost."

"Why do all your stupid Swollen Eyeball agents have stupid names?" Arthur jeered.

"Shut up!" Dib swung a fist at Arthur, his arm passing through.

"Hah, inferior human, I found a body and you did not." Arthur straightened his back proudly.

"Yeah, a human body." Dib shot back.

"Yes, a filthy disgusting germ riddled OH MY IRK GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF, AUGH!" Arthur's body crumpled to the ground as a transparent bug-eyed green form fled, shrieking hysterically. "GET IT OFF, THE GERMS, AUGH, OH MY TALLESTS I WILL NEVER BE CLEAN AGAIN, THIS ONE HAS EATEN OYSTER PIZZA I HAVE BEEN DEFILED!"

Dib sighed, walking over to Arthur and poking a hand through his head. "Hey. Better get outta here while he's distracted. Sorry I couldn't stop him last time. I was trying to get out at some other end of the cave. Didn't see you guys. I keep him in check the rest of the time, looks like it's my job now. You two have some catching up to do, better take it outside where he can't get you." He glanced up. "You, bonehead? Listen to what he's got to say. He's not always Arthur, in case you didn't get that."

Lewis' head jerked up, his hair suddenly flaming green. "Huh? Oh, of course, I understand he is not always Arthur, but I am Lewis. Yes. I am absolutely Lewis. I have always been Lewis, and I will always be Lewis."

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU ZIM!"

"MY NAME IS LEWIS YOU IGNORAMUS! LEWIIIIIIIIIIS!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy April Fool's Day! Welcome to the madness I inflict every year on my readers in the middle of whatever project I'm doing. To answer your concerns, should you still have them, NO THIS IS NOT A PART OF THE STORY. NO I AM NOT SCRAPPING THE STORY. This whole chapter is a joke. I hope you enjoyed it. Now, back to the angst.


	24. Drawing Out the Poison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Borrowing one of Ectoimp's headcanons about Lewis, slightly modified.

Once, many lifetimes ago, I was never closer to fulfillment than when I stretched my limbs and swept across the surface of the land like the wind. When I was dark, before when I was not, new-formed or ages old, it has never mattered. The same deep satisfaction and completeness has been with me whenever I have run.

There have been some few times when running has not given me this. When I ran from my maker. When I ran from Merlin. And now, as I run back to my maker.

Now that I know They are there, waiting for me, I can sense Them. Why have They hidden Themselves? If They always meant to reclaim me, why did They wait so long?

None of it matters. What matters is Arthur will be safe. I will face whatever justice They mete out.

Too soon I catch the scent of cherry blossoms. I slow to a lope, following the scent into a fair sized grove of trees. And there They are, standing at rigid attention below an aged oak. In this form, I am much larger than They, but there is no mistaking who holds the power here. I drop to my belly, crawling forward, eyes fixed at Their feet. I come to a stop some yards away and wait.

And They are silent.

They _would_ make me wait. But it is Their right. I pretend I am a marble carving. No movement of mine should disturb the silence.

I itch to lift my eyes, but they must remain lowered until I am addressed.

And They are silent.

There is a small burn in my chest, but I quench it. Anger is not my right. I have no rights.

And They are silent.

The sun has moved positions since I found Them, and yet They still do not speak to me. It has been ages. Eons. They created me, and I am finally here in front of Them again and I receive nothing. They won't even shout at me?

And They are silent.

The words charge up my throat and burst out of my mouth. "Did you ever even care that I ran away or why?" And I am laid bare, even to myself. I hated Them, I hated what They had done, but They _made_ me. Yet They hadn't cared enough to find and retrieve me before I corrupted myself.

The sky darkens and I cringe, laying my ears back in submission. I have spoken out of turn, yet another mark against me.

Their feet finally move, striding toward me. Each step leaves a print in the grass where it is brighter and more vibrant than before. Most would see this as a sign of hope, but I know Inari Okami, and that which grows from the ground is all They truly care for. Nothing else matters except, perhaps, justice.

"It has been too long." Their multiple voices are soft as rain, and my tails curl under in fear. "You have forgotten many things. But it does not matter. You will not be relearning anything."

They are speaking in the human language. My ears twitch and my forehead creases. This is unlike Them, They speak to me in the high languages. Or, They used to. But even when dealing with the worst demons They used high speech.

"Raise your head."

My head comes up, my eyes finally meeting Theirs. There is no warmth, only a steady scrutiny. Arthur has stared at me like this sometimes, but there was always care in the gaze, even when he was angry. Here, there is nothing.

I don't know why I hoped for more.

"Speak." Petals drift on the breeze as They command me.

"I have come for your justice." My voice betrays me. It halts and cracks, and I allow a small flicker of anger to steady it. "If you are seeking me, there is punishment due, as there always is. So here I am."

"Indeed. Here you are. Still defiant and arrogant as ever." They raise one hand, palm facing up, and stroke the palm gingerly with Their free hand. "I had high hopes for you. But you are fully corrupted, Mystery. I cannot return you to your original state."

My pulse quickens. They refer to me by the binding name. The one I accepted. They truly see me as a separate entity from the one they created.

"You were quite set on the path you chose. So you will return to that path." A blossom sprouts from the palm of Their hand, a delicate lotus with blood red coloring. The center pulses a soft, glowing scarlet. "Be the demon dog you were. Consume every evil, absorb every dark soul, and contain it. Quarantine the darkness until all the world is pure and just again."

I am on my feet, etiquette be damned. "You can't!" I back away from Them. Have They lost Their senses? "If I consume all the world's evils there will be none more powerful than I, not even you! Who will stop me? Who will keep me in check? Are you insane?"

"Do not question me." And my mouth clamps shut of its own accord, a light warning. "A puppet would no more turn on the puppeteer than you will. Do not think I haven't considered the consequences." The lotus convulses, a mass of red vines erupting from the center, spilling to the grass, and running along the ground to me.

I cannot move. Magic is thick in the air. Of course They would not let me leave now. I whine through my nose, and They release my mouth.

"Please." My breath comes short. "I swore I'd never become that again. Any other punishment I would accept. You know I would take any other justice!"

"Which is why you will take _this_ justice. Justice is not what you want it to be, it is what it is."

The plea _mercy_ dies on my tongue. Inari Okami knows no mercy. I will again be the monster that I was, and no one will stop me.

At least Callie has saved Arthur.

The vines wind around my legs, crawling up and along my body as They reach a hand into their robe, withdrawing several limp Deadbeats.

And I am straining and clawing and snarling, snapping my jaws and screaming curses at Them. They have three Deadbeats in hand.

"Did you think your master would escape justice?" They stroke the Deadbeats as I struggle. "He is a murderer."

"He was _forced!_ " I scream. "He was possessed, he would never have done it!"

"A possession accomplished through feelings he already harbored." Inari Okami tucked the Deadbeats back into Their robe. "I would have had his victim dispense justice, but it seems your former master has become quite persuasive." Their fingers crook, and sharp points dig into my hide all along the vines, which now cover my body like a net. The points spear into my skin and I pant for air, focusing on only one thing.

Arthur still lives. Somehow he managed to talk Lewis down. Inari Okami said as much.

_Oh gods. Oh gods. What are the thorns doing?_

"You will never disobey me, no matter how dark you become." Their voice carries soft on the breeze. "As long as you carry shame and regret, I will always have a hold on you. These," and the thorns stab deeper at Their words, "will always be with you. And you cannot tear free of them."

Shame and regret? But I can be rid of those, can't I?

As the thought crosses my mind, the vines shift, dragging the thorns and I howl.

_King Arthur, his hand on Excalibur and his Bride on her knees before him._

I strain again, but the vines keep sliding, lacerating me with every slip and scrape.

_Merlin, his eyes wet every time he looks at the sword._

It's the vines. It's the thorns. They are calling on my shame, dragging at it. I will never be able to let it go.

_The loathing on Callie's face every time she looks at me._

I can do nothing but Their will. No matter how powerful I become, I will never be more powerful than myself, and it is my own shame that binds me to Them.

And then They turn away from me, sweeping an arm out in an arc. Two trees bend back and away from Inari Okami, seizing on something behind them and pulling into view… oh gods oh GODS! Arthur is kicking mid-air, branches wrapped around his middle. Vivi too, held by the tree next to his. No sign of Callie or Lewis, but Arthur has the sword.

"Did you think I didn't know you were there?" They ask softly.

"I knew you knew." Arthur is bold, too bold. "We got here just before Mystery said something. He used a language I can't understand, but then you answered in English. Everything's been in English, why would you bother unless you knew we were here?"

"So he is smart. But also foolish. Surely you've been told you cannot win against a god. Yet you are still here."

"Yeah I've been told a lot of things and I'm still here, on a lot of levels. Look, you're a god, you can squash me like an ant, fine. But you're not nearly as just as you like to think you are."

They stroke the lotus petals in Their hand, and I cannot even cry warning. A vine has secured the lower half of my jaw like a bit and bridle, binding even my tongue in place.

"And how do you, a murderous mortal, dare judge a god to fall short of justice?"

" 'Cause your justice isn't complete. Never has been."

"It is pure."

"But it isn't complete!" Arthur scowls. "I guarantee if you gave Lewis his Deadbeats back, he'd tell you the same."

"His Deadbeats?" They reach into their robe again, retrieving four small pink lumps.

"Lewis!" Vivi screeches, thrashing harder at the branch that grips her. "Lewis, nix it! Get out here where I can see you, please!"

Arthur has gone terribly still, and I don't blame him. There is only one stage before angry Lewis, and as Vivi screams, he drifts into view from behind a tree far to my left. Idiots, I could have told them trying to circle us wouldn't work, but it doesn't matter.

There is a hole through Lewis, and deep gouges on other parts of his form. I can see bone and muscle and organs, and there is blood everywhere. It isn't real, but it is his first memory of awakening as a spirit. The state of his body.

He drifts toward Arthur, nearly dreamlike, his eyes fixed on his friend. Vivi has gone silent, her mouth hanging open, her eyes flashing pink. Of course. Justice wouldn't be pure and complete if Vivi couldn't be triggered into remembering exactly what happened that night. The murderer, the victim, and the witness all standing before the judge and executioner, playing their roles properly.

And there is nothing I can do.

The tree lowers Arthur to the ground, releasing him. The sword tip drags on the ground as Arthur weaves on his feet. Lewis looms over him, staring down. I cannot see Lewis' face, but Arthur's mouth is cracked open, his arms trembling.

"Why?" The voice is ghastly. The spike must have obliterated his lungs, all he has is the sound of hissing formed into words. "Why, Arthur?"

Arthur's eyes fill with tears and his mouth closes. He is starting to understand.

"Let him go." Vivi rasps. "You're hurting him."

"Who am I hurting?" Inari Okami asks.

"Both of them!" she shouts. "Lewis didn't do anything, and Arthur was possessed! Lew, look at me!"

Lewis' head does a macabre roll to the side, his eyes shifting to focus on her.

"Lew, it wasn't Arthur. There was a demon there! The demon used him to push you!"

"Did you see that?" They ask.

"No, but I know it happened! Mystery said so, so did Arthur!"

"The demon dog told you. And Arthur, the one who pushed Lewis. That is truly convincing evidence."

"It's true!" Vivi pounds on the tree branch. "Tell him, Arthur!"

Lewis' head lolls back to Arthur, staring at him. But Arthur isn't speaking. Tears are running down his face, and he doesn't say a word.

"His shame says more than any words." They turn back to me. "The victim will dispense justice now. The murderer's soul is tainted, you will consume it after his death."

I cannot do anything. My regret will bind me forever and I will never, ever be free of it if I harm Arthur. They _know_ this, curse them.

"C-Callie." Arthur's voice finally breaks through, and in a flash the water spirit is by his side. I have hope, for a moment. She will take them away. She can protect them from me.

"I will take his remaining Deadbeat." Inari Okami states flatly. "And he will truly disappear."

Arthur digs the tip of Excalibur into the ground, all but propping himself up on it. Lewis grips Arthur's arms, his hands glowing pink and Arthur winces. "Why?" Lewis demands, searching his face.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Vivi plants her hands on the tree branch, a blue flash sizzling along the wood.

"Callie…" Arthur croaks. "I…"

Arthur. You know what Lewis would want.

Arthur is looking at me. He's looking at me, and everything hurts worse. There is nothing he can do for me.

And then Callie is in front of my face. I close my eyes. I understand. I am a danger, and I must be dealt with so that Arthur can live. It is all that can be done now.

 _"What have you done?"_ Inari Okami thunders. I open my eyes, and the tree that held Vivi has shriveled.

"You wanna play, let's play." Vivi's fists blaze, and beneath her feet the grasses shrivel.

 _"STOP!"_ They point at Vivi, and five trees bend, stretching branches toward her. On contact each withers, shriveling to the ground limp and smelling of rot, and Vivi's fists flash brighter.

"Big mistake." Vivi growls, hurling blasts at Them.

My muzzle is wet, and I turn back to Callie. Her hands are on my muzzle, and she is searching me. What is she waiting for? Vivi is providing the perfect cover. If Callie kills me now, I will never threaten Arthur, or this world.

"Callie we have to go!" Arthur finally moves, wrenching free of Lewis. "Vivi's getting the Deadbeats, fall back! We'll regroup!"

Something in her face solidifies, and Callie doesn't move.

"Mystery."

My heart stops. She has never used my name.

"Callie come on!" Arthur shouts, gripping the sword.

And still she doesn't move. How is she not compelled by Arthur's command?

And then I am drowning. Water fills my mouth and nostrils and ripples all along my face, encasing my head. If I didn't know it was water, I would swear it was fire burning everywhere it touches. It runs down my neck and legs, spreading until it covers my whole body. Is it peeling off my hide? I've never felt anything like this. The fire moves past my skin, drawing something out of me.

I fall to the ground. The vines are not there to hold me up. Where have they gone? Something is being drawn out of me. It is deep and vile, and as it leaves so does my strength.

_Callie, what are you doing to me?_

Air. I can breathe. I take in great gusts of air. I am too weak to shake the water from my coat.

Vivi is dangling from Inari Okami's grip. Arthur is frozen, hand on his sword. Lewis is slogging toward Vivi, ever mindful of her danger even in his worst state. Inari Okami is staring just behind me, and to my shock Their body trembles.

"Aaaaaaarthur."

My guts clench. I curl around until I can see what lies at the end of my tails.

Callie lifts off the ground for a moment, then splashes back to the grass, laughing. But there is no joy in her laughter, and the grass crumbles to dust. She is like ink, like tar, like an oil slick. Her color shifts between a hideous, sickly green and black. She crawls across the ground, propelling herself on her hands and the tip of her tail. "Arthuuuuuuuur." She grins, her eyes fixed on him. She stops at his feet, her hands caressing his shoes. "Tell me who your enemies are, Arthur," she crooned, "that I may strike them down!"


	25. Not Out of the Woods Yet

_Focus._

Staring down at his feet, Arthur had the vague sense that the logical part of his brain was trying to get his attention, to get him to pull it together and take action.

"Tell meeeee Arthur," The oil slick at his feet crooned, stroking his sneakers like they were made of gold, "and I will salt the land with their blood."

_Focus._

_Callie. Why?_

A grunt drew his attention to Inari Okami. They dumped Vivi unceremoniously on her rear, hurrying toward the still-prone Mystery.

"NO." Callie was no longer at Arthur's feet. Now she hovered over Mystery, open-mouthed and snarling. "MINE. MY PROPERTY." Her hands gripped his fur, and his back arched as he yowled. Steam poured off her arms on contact, and her voice rose in pitch. "MINE."

"You have no claim on him. I made him." Inari's voices crept like vines. "So you are mad enough to take his corruption? That is your concern. But he is my servant, and now he can continue with his intended purpose."

"MINE!" Callie screeched.

"I am a god, you dare defy me?" they whispered.

"What is a god?" Callie cackled. "What is a god but collected power? I was just below you. Now where am I, god?" She released Mystery, crawling over him. "Why do you tremble? You couldn't be afraid of me, could you?"

_FOCUS._

"Why?" Lewis rasped just to his left. With Vivi out of danger, he _would_ return his attention to Arthur.

"I do not fear you. Controlling you is as simple as retrieving your anchor." Inari Okami spread her fingers out, the lotus blooming with fresh runners that stretched toward Arthur. "Or controlling the one that holds it."

The shoots wound like snakes up his legs and torso, sprouting thorns that sank into his skin. He dropped to his knees, clutching the sword with both hands.

"Arthur of the line of Kings, give to me the sword of your ancestor and submit her to me. You have failed her, as your ancestor failed her. You are not worthy to wield her."

The vines jerked at his arms like puppet strings, extending the sword out to Them.

"I do not submit her to you!" Arthur shouted. "It doesn't matter if you take the sword, you can't have her will!" As he shouted, the thorns sank deeper, stirring darkness in his mind.

_I failed Callie. I didn't think it through enough. I didn't listen to her. I should have listened to her. She deserves a better master._

He dug his chin into his chest, shutting his eyes and trying to close out the thoughts.

_Murderer. Look at Lewis. Look at how much he suffered. Now Vivi sees how much he suffered because of you. No murderer can care for a water spirit. The most pure beings in the spirit world, and look what happened with one in your care._

His fingers remained locked on the hilt.

 _You can't even_ do _anything. You've never done anything to save anyone, someone else is always saving_ you _. Pathetic._

"Have you any idea how much pain she is in right now?" Inari Okami asked. "You don't even have the decency to look at her and acknowledge it."

Arthur's eyes snapped open and he stared over at Callie. She hadn't moved to defend him. She stood in front of Mystery, watching Arthur with a face more like stone than water.

_She's waiting for me to hand Excalibur over. Waiting for me to give her away. Just like he did._

Driving the tip into the ground, he hauled himself back to his feet. "I'm unfit," he panted, "but she submitted to me. And I promised to take care of her. You'll have to kill me to get her anchor. But you wouldn't now." Blood ran down his arms and soaked his shirt. "You can't. Now I'm the only person keeping her in check. Kill me and no one can stop her." Red ran over the hilt of Excalibur, sliding down the length of the blade.

"You worm." Inari Okami turned to Callie. "I will defeat her directly. You will not stay your execution or Mystery's reclamation."

Arthur opened his mouth to command Callie's attack, but nothing came out.

_I won't send her to kill._

A demonic grin stretched Callie's face. "Ohhhhh, Mystery, what a lovely loophole." Her arms split apart, separating into a set of horns and a set of arms as her tail lengthened to the ground. Recognition jolted Arthur.

_I didn't command her attack form!_

"Lovely, lovely loophole," Callie purred, stroking her own horns, "Arthur is in danger." She smirked, stretching herself toward Inari Okami. "I don't need permission!"

Inari Okami jerked back as Callie's fingers tore across her robe. Deadbeats shrieked out of the tear, pouring back into Lewis. In the time it took Arthur to blink, Lewis' form shifted. His eyes glowed and Arthur could see recognition kindling in the now-skeletal features. A thorny vine crawled across Arthur's face, forcing itself between his lips and gagging him.

His vision tilted as the thorns raked across his face and mouth. A bitter, coppery taste filled his mouth, and he wondered how much blood he had lost. Abruptly, Lewis vanished, and Arthur was no longer alone in his thoughts.

"Let it go!" He could feel Lewis frantically pulling at his thoughts and pouring strength into his body, fighting the whispers the vines had dredged up. "Arthur, snap out of it!"

He knew exactly what Lewis was talking about.

_Murderer._

"Arthur!" A warmth swept through his chest, and he knew Lewis was holding his soul. "Arthur you idiot!"

_I'm sorry. I killed you. That will never go away._

"You listen to me." Arthur could smell jalapenos. His throat tightened. "You killed me, yeah?"

_You know I did._

"Fine. You did something terrible, and you did it to me. So guess what, I get to judge you, don't I?"

_You should._

"I'm your judge, not Them!" Lewis was practically shouting, the warmth edging closer to uncomfortable heat in his panic. "And whatever I say about what happened goes! You got that? ARTHUR?"

_Yes. You're my judge._

"You know what my decision is? Huh?" Heat crept down Arthur's arms. "My decision is that it's over! It's in the past! And Arthur, if you don't let it go you might as well be pushing me off a cliff every time you see me!"

Arthur's eyes widened.

"Get it through your head Arthur!" Lewis' anger roiled inside him. "Once and for all, I forgive you!"

The vines loosened. Arthur's arms reached up as Lewis tore them away from their face.

_He forgives me. He always has. I don't have the right to hold onto it anymore. He's right._

The coils binding them sagged as Arthur released his regret. His vision blurred, and he could feel Lewis assuming more control, disentangling their body from the remaining thorns.

_How much blood did I lose?_

_Callie. Where…_

All around them the grass was gray and brittle. Every tree stank of rotten wood. He could see Callie darting around Inari Okami, twisting and bending her body away from the god's strikes. She thrust her head forward, aiming her horns for a killing blow as They dodged, nimbly flipping backwards and landing on Their feet again. He could see no mark on Inari Okami aside from the ripped robe, but he couldn't tell if Callie was injured.

"Lew."

Their eyes snapped to the side. Vivi kicked off the last of the vines, grabbing their arm. "Call it a hunch, but Callie might need a little more of a boost. I say we heat things up." She grabbed a handful of the vines, her hands glowing. "Nice of Them to leave me some juice."

"I love you," Lewis breathed, sheathing Excalibur and extending his arms, palms out, toward the fight.

"On three!" Vivi shouted. "ONE. TWO. CALLIE-CATCH-THREE!" Blue flames shot from her palms, followed by two pink fireballs from Arthur's hands.

The flames hit Callie, then rushed along her form. Her eyes lit with unholy glee. "Ohhhhhh I like this."

"But how?" Arthur broke through to his mouth. "She's _water!_ "

Vivi blinked. "Wasn't thinking about that, but…"

Callie began to spin in place, faster and faster. Water streamed out of the ground and condensed around her from the air, swirling around her form. She reached her hands out, turning the water a murky greenish black. Flames leaped from her arms to the liquid around her, pink and blue flames lighting up the whirlwind as she hurled herself at Inari Okami.

Inari Okami fled. Every green footprint They left instantly dried to brittle gray as Callie swept over it, inches behind Them. Inari Okami gathered Their robes about Them, spreading them into great wings and leaping into the air as They became a small bird, soaring away. Callie shrieked in rage as she leaped after Them, missing and splashing back to the ground. Screaming, she dispersed the whirlwind of flaming pitch into great whips of fire, snapping them after the god.

Inari Okami tucked Their wings, diving just enough to avoid the whips before spreading them again and gliding beyond Callie's reach, and out of sight.

Callie scored the ground with her whips, beating the earth over and over. "COWARD!" She railed. "COME BACK AND FACE ME! YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT WIN SO YOU FLEE, WHAT KIND OF A GOD IS THAT?" She turned, fixing her eyes on Vivi, seething. "I will have blood today. Do you hear me?" She lunged at Vivi. "I WILL HAVE BLOOD!"

Arthur didn't think twice. He stepped in front of Vivi, yanking out Excalibur and presenting the hilt. "Back in the sword!" he shouted.

"NO!" Callie wailed. "NO!"

He watched as Callie was siphoned back into the sword. The gem gleamed black in the morning light, and he lowered his head.

"I'm sorry."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I borrowed the concept about forgiveness from one of my two favorite books of all time, The Book of Sorrows by Walter Wangerin Jr. It's the second book, and comes after The Book of the Dun Cow. Amazing two books… also THIS IS THE END OF LOUDER THAN WORDS. Stay tuned for… um… whatever the next fic is named. *sweats nervously trying to think of a title* ah yes, What Doesn't Kill Us.


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